Dumbstruck
by Your-Guilty-Pleasure
Summary: Rogue cant deny these feelings. Keeping them bottled up is killing her and pushing him away. With one boy clinging to her and the one she wants edging away. Its time for her to Reach out and grab what she wants. New summary soon! x
1. Cant fight this feeling anymore

She had always thought he was cute. Since she had gotten here really. Her heart couldn't help but flutter when he tired to impress her in her first class. He grinned and smiled at her as if he might like her too, but while she was waiting on him to make a move, someone else joined in the party.

While the new guy was sweet and caring, he wasn't John. He didn't entice her the way fire did. In fact, he was the exact opposite. She could smile at him and pretend to laugh at his jokes, but all she wanted was friendship from him. Yeah, Bobby was going to make the perfect boyfriend…for someone besides her.

Rogue couldn't help but notice the closer bobby got, the further away John went. Then the day Bobby asked her out, she had to say "yes". After all, now John was no longer showing interest and she didn't want to feel left out. Bobby would keep her company and make her feel safe. Maybe one day she could trick herself into loving him.

A few days after Bobby and herself went public, John became cold. He still sat with them, only he was more sarcastic and cold towards them both. Maybe he had just been toying with her. Trying to make her fall for him. It worked, but thank God, Bobby, intercepted her huge mistake.

Besides, she didn't need to be associated with anyone as dangerous as John and his fire. She, herself, was enough danger without his contributing. Bobby was her exact opposite. Safe and sound, in control of everything. That's what she needed.

Girls may flirt with boys like John, but they stay with boys like Bobby. Yeah. She'll keep telling herself that. One day she'll believe it.

As the months, she slowly started convincing herself, it _was_ **true**. John only became more cynical of her and her having no ability to control her power. As much as Bobby's encouraging had helped her, John's words always managed to cut her confidence down to nothing. Leaving her with no effort to control her mutation when she would attempt too.

Something about how he laced his displeasure of her weakness and disgust of how she was never going to be able to control her powers if she didn't try, when he spoke to her had left deep gashes in her confidence. Like he was making sure she knew her place among the low class freaks.

Bobby told her to ignore him. That he was just being a jerk because he was PMSing. Rogue, once again, smiled and laughed. She didn't want to though. Because, John was right. Bobby and her had been a relationship for months and at this point, a normal couple, would have already kissed or _that_. She couldn't though. She knew Bobby wanted too, but she also knew that he was scared of what might happen to him. Scared she might kill him.

When he leaned in to kiss her, she would always duck away. John, for some reason always being present, would scoff a laugh.

"I don't think she wants to kiss you, Bobby." John would chuckle, playing with his Zippo.

She did…didn't she? She was just avoiding him so she didn't hurt him, right? She was just waiting to learn how to control her powers.

One day, it all was just too much. She wanted and needed John to be there, but he wasn't. Well he was physically, but emotionally he once again slammed her down. This time taking Bobby down with her. Saying how they were both pathetic.

Bobby of course defended them. But she was tired of being protected and defended. She just abandoned them in the middle their spat and ran. Out into the pouring ran, across basketball courts and athletic fields. Until she was safely hid under a large weeping willow. How fitting, here she was weeping and a weeping willow was hiding her from the world.

Why did John have to be so mean? If he was a _friend_ why did he have say things like that?! Yes she was weak! Hell she knew that! That's why she was with Bobby and didn't even try for John. She could be happy with John! She wouldn't have to fake a smile! It was known fact that John was stronger than Bobby. She might have even tried to make physical contact with John and not been scared. What happened to…

She blinked, clearing her eyes of tears, when her revelation hit her. John didn't want to have anything to do with her because she was weak and couldn't stand up for herself [that and Bobby but he isn't being mentioned now].

Then she was going to be the opposite. She wasn't weak! She was just a as strong and determined as he was.

She abruptly shoved away from the willow and marched back through the rain to the school. Bobby and John were no longer in the rec room. They must've either been separated or just dispatched on their own. Bobby was more than likely looking for her while John was in his room burning something.

Her determination pushed her on down the halls, even though her heart was lodged in her throat with fear. She had managed to avoid Bobby and make it to John's room. Of course the smell of smoke was leaking out, just faintly though. After all, last month he got in trouble for almost burning down the dorms.

After sucking in a deep breath, she shoved the door open. There he was. Sitting in the far window, his Zippo in his hand, a tree limb from the one outside his window aflame in his hand.

"You look like hell." He commented, giving her a side glance. "Bobby is looking for you."

"I don't care!" He smushed the flame out with her southern belle voice sounded like it meant business.

He tossed the half burnt limb out the window, into the rain, and stood. Crossing his arms over his chest, waiting for her to continue.

"You should…he is your _boyfriend_." He spat the word at her.

Doing so made anger rise up in her. Her shoes, that were filled with water, squished as she marched across the room. John's eyes getting bigger with each step. Without a second thought, she pressed her wet gloves on either side of his face and locked her lips onto his.

As his lips began to move in sequence with hers she could taste smoke in her mouth and feel his heat. His arms enclosed around her waist as he lifted her up and changed places so she could sit on the window pane. Her fingers had woven into his hair as their kiss deepened.

Rogue didn't want this feeling to end, she wanted to continue feeling his lips against hers and now she felt like she couldn't live without his fiery touch.

He pulled away all too soon for Rogue. Even though, she was no longer cold from the rain due to his heat, she felt as if she had lost something when he pulled away.

"I'm sorry." She jumped down from the window when he leaned against the wall, panting. "I just-"

"Why are you sorry?" He coughed and groaned a bit. "That was- the best kiss-ever."

"Really- I mean- Look what I've done!" She was happy to hear what he said but what mattered more was the fact that she had hurt him.

"As soon as this passes. I'll be in for round two." He coughed out a laugh, then pushed off the wall.

"Are you crazy?" She took a step away from him.

He didn't answer her though, instead he snatched her wrist and jerked her back over to him. Crashing his lips onto hers. There the fire was again. Burning deep in her stomach. His lips were so warm and perfect. She couldn't focus on anything but making this last longer . It had too. Before ten seconds had passed they had elapsed in French kissing, something Rogue thought she might never experience. She didn't want to experience it with anyone but John though. His lips fit hers just perfect, his height was just right for their kissing, and he…there was no way to describe him. Why in the hell had she waited for him to make a move? Had she known this is what was waiting for her she would have told him the first day she liked him! The taste of smoke was in her mouth again, the feeling of fire running through her veins.

A loud clap of thunder cause her to jump, separating them. John was once again leaned against the wall for support while he tried to regain all the strength she had just taken from him.

The rain outside had increased. Thick dark clouds hovering over the school. Every few minutes large claps of thunder and lightening would happen. Not that Rogue and John noticed. They were too enticed in the other's presence. After taking a five minute breather John pulled her into yet another kiss. And another after that one.

Rogue experienced more kisses in that thirty minutes then she thought she ever would in her entire life.

During a breaking point, a crack of lightening hit and the power suddenly went out.

When it happened Rogue let out an, "Epp" at the sudden darkness.

"Don't worry." John whispered huskily, pulling her against him.

He rested his chin on her shoulder as she hand fumbled around his pocket. In the blink of an eye, he had his Zippo out and had flicked it open. While still maintaining his hold around her waist, he stole the flame from the Zippo and held it in front of her.

"See, I'll keep you warm." As his fingers moved, the flame twisted around itself. Making odd shapes and figures.

Her eyes were drawn to the flame like a moth to a light. Anytime John had a spark or a flame it became a masterpiece. A work of art that sculptors could only wish to create.

"Rogue," he whispered into her ear, "did you notice?"

"Hm?" She didn't want to look away from the flame.

"You're learning to control your powers." He pressed a kiss to her neck, sending ripples of his heat rushing through her.

He was inviting her to start up another make-out session. She couldn't avoid the invitation, though. Despite her already swollen and bruised lips, she wanted more.

She turned her head to him and his lips landed on hers. She weaved her fingers into his as she turned to face him fully. Accepting his kiss, fully.

She loved his taste and feel. As much as it might hurt Bobby, it was going to kill her to not have this. She was an addict now. A full-blown pyromaniac because of him.

She wouldn't trade this feeling for anything. Not the world, not the moon, not even a cure.

* * *

_**YAY! Rogue's point-of-view. Hope you liked it. Please review. Tell me if I just need to stop or what. LOL Thanks for reading!**_

_**RAWR!**_


	2. Good girls go Bad

"I won't tell Bobby." John commented with a sour face once they had managed to finally stop making-out, and were just sitting in each other's presence. Rogue sitting on the bed and John on the floor.

"Tell him what?" Rogue raised her eyebrow at him as she laid down on her stomach, looking over the side of the bed at him.

She hadn't processed a single thought since they had _started_ kissing each other. She was just far too caught up in the excellence of John and his kisses to think about anything, or anyone, else. Even though their lips hadn't touched in over ten minutes she could still feel his heated kisses on her hips and his smoky taste in her mouth. It made her mouth dry for more just thinking about it.

"Our little episode." He grunted, scratching his head.

"Well, duh." She laughed, and extended her gloved down at him. Her fingers glazed over his cheek softly. "I'm telling him."

"Why?!" John pulled away from her touch abruptly.

"I can't pretend I'm happy with him. I certainly can't kiss him with the intensity we had going on a minute ago. I don't want to anyway." She propped herself up on her elbows and smiled at him.

John blinked at her confusedly. She was giving up her perfectly stable relationship with Bobby for a few kisses?

"I never asked you to be my girlfriend." He stood from the floor.

"So?" She pushed up onto her knees.

"I never said I was gonna." He stretched his arms above his head, flexing his muscles for Rogue's amazement.

"So, what're you saying?" Her temperature started to rise. Had she gone and made a complete fool of herself for nothing? Did she just say she was giving up every girl's dream boy for the player? Hell. "That you don't want me to leave Bobby? That it just end here?"

"I was interested before Bobby got you." He shrugged.

"I was waiting on you! If you had just, you know, shown somewhat more interest I would have been more than willing to comply." She was now standing next to the bed, facing him on the other side.

John just rolled his eyes and scratched his head again. He didn't know what to say. He was more than thrilled that she had shown up. But what now? Take her from Bobby? As much as he wanted too, there was no sport in it. He needed to sweep her off her feet, not just steal her. That way Bobby couldn't just play the nice reliable guy and win her back, the won the he would screw up. Cause knowing himself, there would be those times.

"It was just a game to you wasn't it?!" She rounded the bed to stand next to him. Her previously happy glinted eyes, were sharp and ready to strike.

John stayed silent. Which only stirred her up more.

"You sure as hell, better not tell Bobby! This was just a mistake that _**won't**_ happen again!" She marched out the door, slamming it behind her.

Hopefully she didn't run into any for a few minutes. Otherwise, by her attitude and appearance they would know what had happened.

John stared at the door. It hadn't been a game before. But it was now. He was going to win her heart and keep it. Still, she was going to be mad at him for a few days…

"Damn it." He grumbled and returned to his window.

xx

"I couldn't find you at all yesterday." Bobby wrapped his arms around Rogue when he saw her at breakfast. John standing behind him with a pop-tart hanging out of his mouth and a glass of milk in his hand, waiting impatiently for him to go on to the table.

"Sorry, I just had to _cool _off." Her eyes shot over to John's over Bobby's shoulder. "I may be a mutant but I can only take oh so much taunting and ridicule before I need to just---snap."

Bobby released her and let her go get her breakfast. When she got to the table, he scooted his chair closer to hers, while John sat in his normal seat across from her. Too lost in his stupid damn pop-tart to even notice her.

Damn him. It'd all been a game. She was smarter than that! So, if she knew it was just a one time thing, why did she still want to kiss him so much? Why did she feel so cold…wait…that was Bobby. His hand was anchored onto her gloved one as he munched at his biscuit.

As Bobby rattled on she couldn't stop her eyes from drifting over to John. How is it that it seems John gets better looking everyday? Now with the memory of his kisses standing in the front of her mind, it was going to be impossible for her to not look at him. Not think of him when she was talking to Bobby. Not to picture his smiling face after she had kissed him. Not to dream about his kisses and the feelings they gave her.

The dryness came back to her mouth. The faint taste of smoke and the feel of fire rising in her blood. In attempt to relieve the burning in her throat, she downed her milk. It helped slightly, but just being in his presence made her crazy.

Was he doing it on purpose? Taunting her in those mean ways?

There were traces of pop-tart crumbs on the corner of his mouth. As if he was inviting her to openly get remove them for him.

"I'm going to head upstairs and change for class. I'll see you there?" Bobby asked as he pushed away from the table. "John, take care of her. That doesn't involve talking to her so…Don't-say-anything." Bobby's eyes narrowed as John rolled his eyes and nodded.

Bobby kissed her head then retreated back to the dorms. Leaving Rogue with her wild thoughts and John grumbling about stupid orders.

"Well, I'm going to change too. So, I'll see you later." Rogue jumped up from the table. She couldn't do it. She couldn't sit here and pretend it didn't hurt her. The pain of rejection was just far too much.

John didn't say anything. Instead he followed her motion. All of them. Dumping her tray, putting their dishes away, and leaving the dining area. He did so quietly too. Until they were walking down the hallway and she turned and started yelling at him.

"What's your problem?! I can walk back to my dorm by-my-self!" She whispered with a hiss.

John just shrugged his shoulders and stayed put.

"So now you're not talking either? That's just rich." She growled and turned around to begin marching away from him. Only he started following her again. She wasn't turning again though, she knew he wouldn't respond. He was being a stubborn mule---ass.

A small laugh escaped her mouth and a smile washed over her face. It was the first time today she had thought of him and smiled.

Her grinning and walking was brought to a sudden stop as she was jerked backwards. She followed the pull and stumbled backwards into, what she assumed to be, a dark closet. Before she could blink she heard a click and a flame appeared in front of her. Being held in a very familiar hand.

She blinked at the small flame for a few seconds, then finally up to its igniter.

"What John?" Her voice cracked.

He only smiled in reply, quickly extinguishing the small flame in his hand, leaving Rogue once again, blind.

"Jo-" before she could finish her word, John's hands grasped her shoulder's and pulled her closer. His lips laying claim to hers with aggression.

She wasn't arguing. If he needed to give out kisses, she was sure as hell going to receive them.

She wrapped her gloved arms around his neck and kissed him back with as much passion as she could muster. His heat began radiating through her again. As his fingers brushed over the exposed skin of her neck, they left trails of fire, or the feeling of it at least.

John grinned into the kiss. He knew what was happening. He could feel it all too. Slowly, Rogue was pulling his power away, he felt the slow drain. It was just faint over her kiss though. He found it amazing he was feeling anything aside from it. For the kiss itself, was amazing.

His arms wrapped around her waist and rested on the small of her back, pushing her closer to him.

Suddenly Rogue pulled away. Startling herself and John.

"What're we doing?" She asked, trying to regain her breath.

John didn't answer, he just pulled her into another kiss. One that took all her effort to shove away from.

"John! Answer me!" She demanded.

She heard the small click again. John had his Zippo out and was using the fire to write something.

_Bobby said I can't talk to you._

Rogue's mouth gapped open at what he had wrote in the air. That's why he wasn't answering her?!

She laughed and latched her arms around his neck again. There it all was again. Proof her powers had fully kicked in. The smoky taste in her mouth, the fire in her veins, the heat all through-out her body. Damn, sometimes she hated this mutation.

"John--mmm-we have to get to--class." She spoke between kisses. She didn't want to go, but she was putting it out there that they had too.

His response was a low growl of displeasure. Rogue couldn't help but laugh at it. She kissed him again, then decided he needed to rest a bit.

"John," She put her hand out to find him in the darkness.

She did find him. Her hand landed on his chest. She took in a quick breath when she felt his heartbeat. It pounded against his chest and her hand like a drum. Thank God, they were in the dark, because her cheeks had heated up to a deep red color.

"Hm?" He breathed.

"I-"

"Don't." John didn't know where she was going, but if she was going to say three words that began with 'I' he couldn't hear it.

"What? I was going to ask-never mind."

"Rogue, can I?" His breath was in her ear, whispering huskily.

* * *

_**Bum-bum! Well, there you have it. What does John want?! LOL I think we might all know, then again, I am a trickster.**_

_**RAWR**_


	3. You look good in my shirt

_**This one is for all my great readers! You guys are amazing.**_

* * *

She didn't know how they got here. She was too caught up in his breathless words and leading kisses to care. Turns out John had pulled her into the tunnels, tunnels that lead straight up to the dorms. Her room bring the closer of the two to the exit. That's all she could recall, though. All she knew for sure was this was what she wanted. His breath against her skin. His skin touching hers and it not killing him. It took a lot of effort, even with all she gave it wasn't perfect. Many times the mood was almost lost and normal though processes were almost restored, simply because she got too engulfed in the situation. Still they had managed. Managed to do, what she thought was, the impossible.

So what if they had missed two classes? So what if everyone including her boyfriend was going to come looking for them? So what if they busted in or Kitty walked through the wall to see John lying sleepily on his stomach next to her shirtless and her in his shirt? If they saw her with her hair, that had been in perfect lazy curls earlier, all sexed up? She didn't care. All that mattered was John.

Rogue smiled over at John's sleeping form. Completely relaxed and at ease. No set on scowl. He was perfect. It could have killed him to do what he just did with her. Yet he challenged death and won. She finally felt like the princess getting her happy ending. Life was finally showing that it didn't always suck.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when John nuzzled against his pillow. He was just so cute. Too cute to pass up this opportunity. Carefully, she slid out from underneath the covers and over to her desk. Where was her camera at? Finally she found it lodged into the top drawer. Just a few Polaroid snap shots. She crept quietly back over to the bed and crouched down next to his side. Suppressing her laughter and giggles she snapped a quick shot of his sleeping face. Then she waited.

Good he didn't wake up. One just wasn't enough. Besides a few more couldn't hurt. The next few included her. One of her kissing his cheek. Another of her smiling next him sleeping. Then in the last picture just as she was going to snap it, he woke up and kissed her as the camera flash went off. In the picture she look like a deer in headlights as John kissed her.

"Sleeping pictures? Really?" He yawned and stretched his arms, his eyes looking pointedly at the photos sitting on the night table.

"Yeah. You were so cute. Give it back!" Rogue ordered as John took the camera from her.

"No no no. We're getting some of you too." He laughed and began taking pictures of her. The first few were of her trying to get the camera back, then some of her sitting on her knees smiling at the camera. The last one was the best though. She had launched at him and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He smiled into the kiss and snapped the picture. It had to be better than their first kissing picture with her eyes wide as tea saucers.

"How long was I asleep?" John asked as Rogue began gathering up all the photos they had managed to take.

"About an hour." She grinned down at the stack of pictures in her hand.

"Wow. We're late."

"Yeah, its almost lunchtime."

"He'll be here soon. You never showed to class." John's voice was dry.

"I know." There was a sudden sadness in Rogue's tone. She didn't want to hurt Bobby, but it was going to hurt him more if it went on right?

"Rogue, listen-" John was interrupted by a knocking at the door.

"Rogue?" Bobby's voice called from the other side. "Its me. Are you okay?"

Rogue's head snapped back to look at John who was standing on the opposite side of the bed. Shirtless. And hell she was in his shirt.

She swallowed. It was going to happen sooner or later. She tip-toed over to the door and opened it slightly.

"Bobby? Hey." She smiled rubbing her eyes. Damn it. She couldn't cry. It was the right thing to do.

"You never came to class." Bobby's voice carried over to John. How could he be so _perfect_? If John ever really faced the facts, girls want boys like Bobby. They despise guys like himself.

"Hey Bobby." John called with a smirk.

Bobby's eyes went from Rogue's to the dimly lit room behind her.

"Is that John?" Bobby pushed the door open.

"Listen Bobby its easy to explain-" Rogue choked out the first thing she could think of.

"She was sick." John spoke. Bobby staring at his bare upper half accusingly. "I brought her back here and stayed with her. She was burning up with a _fever_."

Bobby's eyes fell back to Rogue who was standing next to him. Then he noticed her clothing.

"Why are you wearing his shirt?" Bobby raised an eyebrow.

"Were you not listening? She was burning up with a fever. I just gave it too her that way she wouldn't have to sit her clothes and that junk. Unless of course you want me to go through your girlfriend's dresser." John shrugged his shoulders.

"No!" Bobby's voice came out loud and clear.

"I'm sorry Bobby." Rogue's voice on the other hand was meek.

"Its okay. I just wish you would have told me that you were sick." Bobby smiled down at her. "I'll go get your lunch. You just rest up."

With one final judgmental look over at John, Bobby left.

"Better do away with those." John pointed to the stack of photos on Rogue's nightstand.

"Why would I do away with them?" She tugged his shirt further down. She was started to feel naked in his eyes. The coldness was back.

"Bobby might see them and find out."

"Are you that scared to lose your best friend?"

"He aint my best friend. He is just someone who is there."

"Fire and Ice." She laughed.

"Can I have my shirt? Bobby is taking over _tending to the ill_." How did cold as ice John creep back in? Wait she was still burning up with his fire.

"John." Her hands fiddled with the end of the shirt. "You don't regret-"

"Tomorrow?" He placed a small kiss on her lips. "And keep the shirt. You look good in it."

* * *

_**Hope you enjoyed it. It wasn't as bad of a cliffhanger right? Well I'm off to see Land of the Lost. It has a T-rex in it! YAY! Just got done watching the Beverly Hillbillies. One of the best shows ever. XD Tell me what you think. BTW sorry its taking so long to update. I have my job now so its taking lots of my time.**_

_**RAWR**_


	4. You left?

Outside and in front of everyone else, they were just as cold and indifferent to each other. John would make snide comments, that he didn't really mean, and Rogue would bite and nibble at her lips. Bobby didn't pay too much attention to it. It had just become expected. He did notice Rogue paying less attention to him though. And when he would questioned her, she would just giggle and tell him he was delusional. Bobby would then absentmindedly agree with her. After all, the only other boy he had to worry about taking Rogue from him was John, seeing as they hate each other, it didn't matter.

"Here I thought you were such a good little girl." John teased as he pulled Rogue back onto the bed by her elbow.

Two months after their 'secret meetings' had started, Rogue ended it with Bobby. Said that she couldn't take the distance he was trying to put between them. Bobby was reluctant at first; then let her go. Saying if she felt that way, then fine. Two weeks after that, John made them public.

Not in the most subtle way either. Just 10 days after she and Bobby had spilt, out in the middle of nowhere John grabbed her in the middle of the hallway, between 3rd and 4th hour, and laid a fat kiss on her. In front of Bobby, Kitty, Logan, Storm, and everyone else.

"I never said I was a good girl, you came up with that on your own." Rogue threw a smile at him over her shoulder. "Now I have to take a shower."

"Wanting to wash me off?" He released her elbow and watched as she slid off the bed.

With a giggle she turned and pulled him forward by his bare shoulder, "I never want to wash you off, but seeing as I need to go talk to Logan" She graced his lips with a small tingling kiss, "unless you want his nose to pick you up."

"No no no. Go take your shower." John chuckled.

She pinched his cheek and quickly skipped off to the shower.

Things were as close to perfect as they could possibly get. John had helped her rein in her mutation, thus their more often and constant physical contact, not that that had stopped him before, it was just easier for her now. She wasn't worried about her getting too lost in the situation and hurting him. It had happened once after they had went public. John had snuck into her room while she was taking a shower and when she walked out in only a towel, he wrapped his arms around her bare shoulders. She didn't know it was him until after she had absorbed all his mutation and he hit the floor with a thunk. He was out for about 12 hours, of course from this he learned, let it be known that it's the boyfriend, not a kidnapper or rapist.

-xx-

"John," Storm sighed, this was the sixth meeting she has had with him within two months. It started out just being his burning things inside, then he burned other people's belongings, then he burned the school's belongings, and so on. Each time he didn't care enough to listen to her lecture. He would just snap his Zippo open and closed an roll his eyes. She was threw with it though. He was going to listen this time. "Do you want to be here?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, "Sure, thank you for letting me in this ratty ass school."

Storm released a heavy sigh, "We thought she would have a good effect on you. After all, she has such good grades and behavior. Logan was still so strongly against it, but I told him, for your benefit, that encouraging this relationship was a good idea. So he did."

"_Wow_, gee. Thanks." John commented dryly.

"John!" Storm snapped, "Speak now if you want to be here or not."

"By here, you mean **at the school**. By at the school, you mean **if I want to be a part of your team**. By a part of your team, you mean **part of the **_**X-men**_." He spat the last word with disgust. "And to that I answer, no. The only thing keeping me here is Rogue."

"Then you have to leave. You're making it hard on the other students." Storm's voice softened again.

"You're kicking me out?"

"No. But we cant have you here causing the other students to be uncomfortable." Storm shifted.

"Fine." He stood abruptly and snapped his Zippo shut. "Consider me, _gone_."

"John don't make it against you. Its for the better of the other students, if you change your attitude or leave. There are other schools if you want to try them. They aren't as elite as this-"

"I'm over school. It drags anyway. The only fun part was being with Rogue. Its not even fun to torture Bobby anymore." He threw his hand in the air and marched from the room.

His mind reeled back in deep thoughts. That was a whole lot easier than it should have been. The hard part was going to be telling Rogue. She should be waiting for him in her room, since he had been so kindly pulled away from dinner. How was he supposed to say it though?

_They kicked me out for not wanting to be an X-man._ She was an X-man….thay wouldn't work. She would just pester him with questions of 'why?'.

_I hate it here._ She would take that personally.

Oh well, as everything else he did, it would be spur of the moment.

"Hey, babe." Rogue greeted him from the small cushioned chair on the far wall, when he entered the room.

"Hey." He grinned devilishly at her.

"Uh-oh. I know what that means." She closed her book and wrapped her gloved arms around his neck.

With questionable eyes John looked at the gloves. She only wore them when she was ill or tired now that she had been able to control her mutation.

"I'm just kinda tired. Nothing for ya to worry about." A small laugh escaped her lips as she pushed up to kiss him.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Now what did you have in mind?"

John bent down and kissed her lightly at first. After a few seconds he deepened it. Before she knew it he had her pinned into the bed comforter, just staring down at her.

"You're beautiful." He pushed a platinum strand of hair from her face. "You'll always be the most beautiful girl to me."

"You make it sound like you're leaving me. What did Storm-" he claimed her lips again.

"No talk." He smiled against her lips.

"Hmm. Works with me." Rogue stroked her fingers down his masculine arms.

So she couldn't tell him today? She was okay with waiting, after all, they had the rest of their lives right?

* * *

Today was Saturday, so no need to jump up and get out of bed. Besides usually on Friday nights John would just stay over. So when Rogue snuggled over to his side of the bed, it shocked her to find it empty. She eyes flew open only to witness the same thing. He wasn't there and apparently he hadn't been for a long time, since the entire bed was cold.

Maybe he had left. Sometime when she hadn't even noticed. Oh well, she couldn't wait to see him.

The thought of his face when he hears the news made her giggle uncontrollably.

Happily, she bounced out of bed, slipped into a pair of faded jeans and a graphic tee. She tied her hair back into a high ponytail and skipped out into the hallway to greet the day fully. Only the only thing she greeted fully was Bobby's shoulder, seeing as he had been passing as she skipped out.

"Sorry, Bobby." She muttered an embarrassed apology.

"Its fine." He shrugged and went on.

Well, he wasn't in such a bad mood. Maybe today wasn't going to be so bad.

Just then Kitty emerged from her own room, looking not as happy but still upbeat.

"Hey, Kitty, you had breakfast already?" Rogue chimed.

"Yeah." Kitty smiled back at her.

"Oh." Rogue nibbled at her lip, "Did you see John?"

"You mean-"

"You don't know?" Bobby suddenly joined their conversation, making Rogue shift uncomfortably. What did he know about John, that she didn't? "He got kicked out. I saw him with all his luggage in hand this morning around 4 a.m."

Kicked out? Is that why Storm called him out yesterday? And at 4 a.m.? The last time she had looked at the clock with him in her sight, it had been 3:15.

"Wait what?"

"He's gone. I heard him muttering something about never coming back. How he hated here." Bobby commented dryly.

"You're lying!" Rouge shoved his shoulder, roughly.

"Hey! Don't blame me. Its your boyfriend that took off! I told you that he was a bad idea. Don't you remember?" Yeah, he had pulled her aside a few days after John had made out with her in the hall and told her he was a bad idea. She thought it was jealousy. "He always told me he couldn't wait to leave this place."

"Just stop!" She yelled at him.

Kitty had slipped away at some point in time, leaving Rogue and Bobby alone.

"I'm going to go check his room! I know you're lying!" Rogue turned away from him and began up the hall.

"No, Rogue don't!" Bobby was chasing after her.

Hot tears were filling her eyes as she fled down the hall. John had to be here! He wouldn't leave her! Not now! She could hear Bobby yelling at her to stop, but mentally she was blocking him out.

Once she had found the room, her small hand wrapped around it and swung it open as hard as she could. Instead of her heart being greeted with comforting sight of all John's things being in the room; instead of seeing him lazily snoozing away on the bed, as he loved to do on Saturday mornings. She found nothing. Not even his bed sheets! He was gone. He didn't leave any trace of him behind.

_Well, that isn't completely true._

"Oh…my…God." Rogue lifted a trembling hand to her lips.

"Don't look." Bobby pulled backwards out of the room by her elbow.

She instantly jerked from his touch and forced herself into the room. This wasn't happening. He was hiding somewhere. Maybe he had just changed his room. He hadn't told her or anyone!

"Rogue!" Bobby called after her.

"No! No! NO! He has to be here!" Rogue's tears spilt over, now in streams down her face.

Bobby's arms enclosed around her, and despite her efforts to fight him off, he held on. She screamed and wailed, kicking her legs like a child pitching a fit.

Soon she found herself crying against Bobby's chest. Pounding him with her fists. Blaming him for John not being there.

If living with John **ignoring** her was hard, wait until she has to live **without** him.

* * *

**I know I had this story going in one direction, but it might work out this way too. PLEASE tell me what you think. After all, you mean lots to me. There is going to be a major time jump starting next chapter. Just to let you know! Thank for reading!!**

**RAWR**


	5. Cant make me stop

Rogue groaned in pain as she turned to her side in her bed. Well it wasn't _her_ bed per say, it was Bobby and hers bed. She didn't want any part of it though. Not the house, not the marriage she had gotten backed into, not anything. Had he not been there just after John had left her, two years ago, she never would have seen him again. _Just like she never saw John_.

Outside looking in, this was the perfect marriage. The first wedding to take place at Xavier's mansion and it was extravagant. Far more than Rouge had wanted, but still she got it. Bobby showered her with gifts, she didn't want those either. He could never make up for what he did to her though. Bobby taught at Xavier's school while Rogue was a stay at home mom. Only what everyone didn't know, at least one of the secrets, was that the little girl sleeping in room next to this one, was not Bobby's child. Her looks didn't give her away, since she favored her mother and for the time being she didn't have any type of mutation.

That was just one of the many broken pieces of Rogue's life. Still, there were more ragged edges. Ones that make-up wouldn't cover completely and sunglasses were just a curtain to hide. Gloves could be explained as easily as she wasn't feeling well and couldn't maintain her hold on her mutation. _If only that was true though._

It was the reason she was sore now. He had been extremely angry last night since he had walked in on her telling Scarlett, her daughter, how she had John's eyes.

Rogue jumped when she heard the frustrated growl from Bobby. Her heart lodged itself in her throat as he marched across the room, towards her, towards Scarlett.

"I swear sometimes, you're the stupidest thing on earth!" He snatched her wrist and squeezed it.

"Please. I just got her to sleep." Rogue responded in pain.

Bobby's eyes shifted down to the sleeping little girl; then sharply went back to Rogue.

"Come on." He pulled her towards the door by her wrist.

"Bobby, I'm sorry." Rogue offered, but Bobby just continued to drag her into their room, as if she hadn't said anything.

He had slammed her against the wall and kicked the door closed. Seconds later, his hand met her cheek. Sending her into the corner with a crash.

"Bobby! I really am sorry! It just slipped out!" Rogue braced herself on a small round wooden table that was to her left.

"He used you, you stupid bitch! All he ever wanted was to prove he could get you away from me! That he could have you first!" He slapped her again.

"No! You're lying!" Like every other time John was brought up, Rogue defended him.

She knew that her statement was going to make him even madder, so she readied herself for the next blow. Then much to her surprise, he grabbed her by her forearms and made her stand up.

"Look, you've ruined your dress." Rogue blinked down at the light blue sundress she was wearing, it had blood spots on the breast of it. Her nose was bleeding again.

"I'm sorry." She muttered out another apology.

"Go clean yourself up. I cant stand the thought of touching you when you've been thinking of him." He shoved her in the direction of their bathroom.

Rogue did as she was told, scampering into the bathroom and quickly closing the door behind her. Once she locked it, she braced her back against it and let out a little sob. This was no way to live.

She had never meant to be turned into a pushover. After John left her, she was going to leave too. But Bobby ratted her out to Logan. Logan knew John had left; so he knew her state of mind wasn't right. Therein, he refused to let her leave until she had some sort of control over her emotions. That had kept there another month, that's when Bobby found out her secret. He had walked in on her changing out of her shirt and saw her undeniable _bump_. She couldn't deny whose it was either. Bobby told her it was an utter shame. That if she didn't abort it or find some way to cover it up, she was going to be rejected by everyone. She didn't care. She didn't have John, so there was no way she was going to give up their baby. She would always have Logan, no one could ever turn him against her. With her baby, who else did she need? Aside from John. That's when Bobby said it. Just out of the blue. '_Marry me, Rogue_.' At first she refused, saying that she couldn't stand his cold shoulder treatments now, that marrying him would just make her miserable. That along with the fact that she would never love him.

Then he mentioned it.

"_Who you gonna run to? John? Where is he Rogue? Huh?! Did he go away to set up some private rendezvous for you two? Where are you going to live? Huh?! I'm offering you a ticket out of disgrace! Shaming myself by taking claim to that _thing_ you refuse to get rid of!" Bobby barked at her._

"_That's not a _**thing**_! Its my baby! I didn't ask for your help!" She yelled back._

"_I'm giving it to you! Don't be like him and have too much pride to take help! If you run away, what's Logan going to do? You know it would drive him insane looking for you! After all he has done for you, how little of you to just decide to take off."_

"_I'm not running away from him! I just need to be away from this place and everything that reminds me of John before I lose my mind!" Rogue fought another shirt on and yanked her hair up into a ponytail._

"_You don't have to stay with me forever. Just long enough o let you regain your right sense of mind and let this whole baby thing fly over." Maybe getting help wouldn't be so bad. It was hard being tough, alone, and pregnant._

"_Fine."_

It was the worst mistake of her life. She knew bobby had bent up anger about her choosing John over him all those years ago. In the back of her mind, she knew that this was a way of rubbing it in her face. She could handle taunting though. After all, it wasn't forever. Scarlett was born 6 months after they got married.

_Rogue couldn't help but fall in love with the tiny pink bundle that Hank placed in her arms. Logan hurried into the room as soon as Hank left (he couldn't stand being in there with Rogue screaming in pain and lashing out at whoever came close to her). He made the biggest deal out of the tiny bundle. Whenever Rogue needed to sleep, she handed Scarlett of to Logan. Who was scared to take her at first, but let Rogue carefully lay the baby girl in his arms._

"_Say hi to Grandpa." Rogue petted Scarlett's hair before she reclined back to sleep in her freshly made hospital bed._

_As she drifted off, Logan's voice (soft as he could manage it) was cooing at Scarlett, telling her that she was the prettiest baby there ever was. How no boy would ever be able to touch her. She was his little pet. Amazing the power babies have, that they are totally unaware of._

_Bobby, thank God, had not been there through the entire thing. She didn't see him until he came to take her and Scarlett _home_. He'd said such awful things to her while they were driving home. Anytime Scarlett would cry, he snap and start yelling at Rogue to shut her up. Scarlett was asleep once they did get home. Rogue hurried her into the nursery she had designed and decorated herself, while pregnant with Scarlett; Bobby had to work and support them after all. _

"_Sleep tight, Scarlett." Rogue kissed the soft skin of Scarlett's forehead, then exited the room as quite as she could._

"_Finally," Bobby had been sitting on the edge of their bed waiting for her to come in. "Once you had the damn thing, it didn't stop screaming. I thought it would never end!" A snarl ripped through Bobby's throat that caused Rogue to jump and brace back against the door._

"_Don't talk about my daughter like that!" She regained her balance and crossed her arms over her chest._

"_She is _'our'_ daughter." Bobby shoved to his feet and motioned for Rogue to come over to him. "Remember?"_

"_For the time being, this isn't forever." She quoted himself back to him, only her version was more spiteful._

_She hadn't even seen him move, but suddenly he had an icy grip on her forearms that made her squeak in shock and pain._

"_Who do you think wants you? Do you think there is someone out there that still thinks you're pretty?! Well! Answer me! Do you!?"_

"_Let me go Bobby!" She tired to jerk away from him but it didn't work._

"_You think _**he**_ is gonna come back? Ha! That's it! You think he is gonna come back for you and your little brat? That's just rich." He pressed her further against the door. "I save your reputation and keep you and your little brat off the streets and STILL all you think about is HIM! Do you see something wrong with this picture?!" Then it happened for the first time. He hit her. His cold palm met her cheek with enough force to knock her down, has she not been pinned against the door._

_Everything got worse after that. Every night after Scarlett was put to bed, he would hit, beat, and do as he pleased with her._

Once she stripped out of her clothes, she let her fingers trace of all the bruises that covered her skin. Some were old and were just a light yellow color, others were fresh and red turning purple/blue/or black.

If Bobby was right about one thing, it was that no one wanted her.

After dabbing away the blood that was left in her nose with a rag, she jumped into the shower. She didn't know what she was supposed to be scrubbing away, but she was going to scrub it away.

She emerged from the bathroom, completely clean, but feeling dirty. It was John who she was supposed to be washing away. Scrubbing him from her life and mind. She could convince Bobby she had, but she never could. The only way she made it through Bobby's beatings and the sex he forced on her, was the thought that John was going to come back one day. Come back to her and Scarlett.

"Much better." Bobby commented snidely as Rogue sat down on the bed next to him.

"Logan is going to take Scarlett out tomorrow, for ice-cream then to just drive around." Rogue sighed.

"There is only a half day of school tomorrow, so why don't you come and see me tomorrow? Bring you husband lunch and be bright and beaming about it." He stood and yanked his side of the bed covers back. "In fact, call Logan and tell him to just keep her over tomorrow night."

"I'll tell him when he picks her up tomorrow." Rogue pulled her own covers back and slid under carefully. She didn't want to go back to the mansion. She hadn't set in there since after Scarlett was born. The thought of being in the same halls, she once walked hand and hand in with John, only now with Bobby, _as his wife_, made her ill.

"I hope one day you'll wake up to see that I love you," Bobby paused and pulled her closer to him, "and he doesn't give a damn."

'I hope differently', Rogue thought bitterly as she tired to avoid breathing in Bobby's scent.

* * *

**Do not open until on location, **_**John**_**.**

Stupid rules. John examined the yellow envelope in his hand. This mission had better not be too long, given the place he was going. Back to the first home he had ever really known. Back to the place he had deserted all those years ago. The place where he had left the one woman he had ever truly loved behind. She wouldn't be there though, her plans were to go to a normal college after school. Just because he had left didn't mean she gave up her future.

"It'll be fifty dollars a night, sugar." The red head behind the hotel counter beamed at the blonde on the other side of the counter.

"Thanks, I'll just be here one night. I need a single please." John muttered.

"No Misses?" The red head bubbled.

"No." John snapped an answer to her as she handed his room key over.

He didn't stay any longer than that. He marched out of the ratty hotel office and over to the room that read 25.

He threw his sack down on the floor and flung himself onto the bed with a huff.

Tomorrow he was going to reach the mansion. Then he could open the stupid mission envelope.

* * *

"Its my girl!" Logan may be all muscles and attitude, but when Scarlett came into the picture, he was all mush. Nobody took her from him, except Rogue or Storm.

"Grand-pa!" Scarlett jumped up and down at his feet.

"Logan, you wouldn't mind keeping her over the night would you? Bobby and I want some-"

"No! I don't want to hear it! If it stops the explanation, I'll let her move in with me." Logan scooped Scarlett up and put her on his shoulders. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah!" Scarlett's dark brown curls bounced as she clapped her hands.

"Tell mommy bye." Logan instructed the laughing little girl.

"Bye, Mom-ma!" Her small arms wrapped around Logan's head.

"Bye baby, be good." Rogue waved her and Logan off.

Damn, her head hurt. Still, Bobby was expecting her, if she didn't show he would be super mad. That would mean, since Scarlett wouldn't be here to wake-up, she would get the beating of her life, not to mention what else he would do or make her do to relieve himself.

**That's all for now! I'm chilling on my aunt's front porch so later guys! Please tell me what you think!**

**RAWR!!**


	6. Outside the window

**This one is for Parris411. You've been such a help to me! I know I said it would be in 'Journey to the end of my life', but seeing as I'm having writer's block on that one, I'll do it in this one. Don't be upset that there isn't much Pyro/Rogue…but believe me….it is to come!!! :]] Please enjoy and if you wish, tell me what you think!**

Rogue walked cautiously down the hall of Xavier's school, picnic basket in hand. She had gotten here early so the classes must still be in. As much as this place her first home, she hated it. Not because of anything the school had done to her, simply cause she had lost so much in these walls. This had been the place where she met the boy she fell in love with, the father of her baby girl…the man who left her high and dry. It was also the place where she met her _husband_, the who was far beyond obsessed with controlling her, who beat her every time she give 'too much attention' to her baby, the man who would whisper in her ear how much he loved her and that if she didn't open her eyes to see it, he was leaving.

There were some things she could only wait and pray for.

Her feet came to a halt as tears began to sting her eyes. If Bobby saw her crying he would indefinitely get mad and she really didn't feel like being beat today. It had taken too much time to hide the bruises she already had. Aside from those facts, her stomach had been giving her hell. She prayed it wasn't **that**, cause that would trigger his rage as well.

"Marie?" Someone's voice startled her, causing her to drop her basket of food.

"Bobby." She tried to even out her voice.

"Hey babe, I wasn't expecting you here this early." He lifted the basket she had dropped with an innocent smile.

"Um yeah, I wanted to surprise you." She laugh with some slight pain in her ribs.

"Well, come on in. The kids would love to meet you and I would love to show you off." He winked placing his arm around her waste and edged her on towards his classroom.

"Sounds great." She commented as he opened the door.

"Class! Here is a treat for you, meet my wife, Marie." He presented her like some kind of prize.

"Hello, Mrs. Drake." The class chimed to her.

"Hi guys. I hope you all don't give my husband too much trouble." she broadcasted a smile to all of the class.

They laughed at her joke which made her feel slightly better.

"Now, as soon as you rodents leave, my wife and I will be having a nice lunch together." Bobby joked, earning an even bigger laugh from the group.

Rogue plastered on a smile as her spine went rigid. They weren't laughing at her, but she felt like they were. What if she had missed a spot with her make-up and they could see one of her bruises?

Seconds later, a familiar bell rang and the students began gathering their things to leave. Bobby's grip never left her waist, making her fear what laid ahead.

As soon as they were alone, Bobby let her go. He took a few short steps over to the door and locked it; then came back over to her, "Come here."

Rogue followed willingly. He led her to the back of the room where a soft blue leather couch sat. He pointed for her to sit at one end, while he put the basket on the other; then took the middle cushion for himself.

When his icy lips pressed against her neck she almost jumped. She didn't want to do this. If she had anything in her stomach, she was positive it would come up. His lips were kissing a trail up her jaw line. Each one making her stomach churn more.

** * * ***

"Half day?" John arched a brow at all the children flooding from the school's doors.

He'd been waiting in a nearby tree for his chance to get in the school, since his mission had been to gather intelligence.

When the last of the students exited, he made a quick movements, and as expected manage to slip in unseen. He checked to make sure the hall was clear, then continued on. Each classroom he passed he checked for…whatever intelligence was.

"Bitch!" He heard a man's voice yell from a classroom about three doors down.

It was followed by a meek voice saying. "I'm sorry!"

It wouldn't hurt to find out what was going on. After all, its still intelligence. He crept over to the door the voices were coming from. The small rectangular window on the door allowed him to peer in.

The man he recognized immediately as Bobby Drake. A scoff escaped his lips at what he witnessed. Bobby had finally grown a backbone with women! Maybe slightly too much of one, since the girl he was with sounded more scared than excited.

"My own _wife_ cant look me in the eyes and tell me that she loves me! Not even after I take in her brat as my own!"

"I'm sorry! Please don't bring Scarlett into this! I'm here and she is with Logan!" No way. That innocent twang sounded so familiar.

John tried harder to examine the girl.

"I finally get some alone time with my wife!"

Wife?

"I'm here Bobby! I'm your wife! I'm at your mercy!" the girl's voice sounded so broken.

"And?"

"A-nd," John witnessed as Bobby made a trail of kisses down the girls throat, finally revealing her face. Heated anger shot through John's veins. Why in the Hell was Rogue with Bobby?!

He wanted to look away, for fear that if he didn't he was going to ruin his mission by killing Bobby. But he couldn't…that was his Rogue in there! His hand was one the door handle, heating it with his rage. He couldn't just leave her there!

The knob began to char as he witnessed Bobby push Rogue's shirt tail up and reveal yellow and purple bruises on her stomach.

"And?' Bobby edged.

"I-" he squeezed on the bruises that matched his hand perfectly, "love you, Bobby!"

"Good to know." His finger began to massage over her now throbbing bruise.

John held his own stomach with his free hand, trying to hold back his urge to puke. This wasn't what he expected to find. Rogue wasn't supposed to be here! She was DEFIANTLY not supposed to be married to Bobby. She had gained so much confidence before he left! She didn't need to lean on anyone or need their support…so why was she here and married to bobby while being covered in bruises? And who in the hell was Scarlett?!

Seems like his mission just got a whole lot deeper.

** * * ***

She didn't love Bobby, but he liked hearing that she did every once in a while. At least Scarlett wasn't here to hear or see this. Bobby had disposed of her shirt, leaving her chest and stomach bruises open for view.

Her eyes tried to find something else to focus on, anything to get her mind off what was happening. The ceiling proved worthless, so her vision drifted over to the door. Maybe something in the hall would distract her.

Just as Bobby squeezed her already sore breast her eyes caught sight of something…or someone. To her it wasn't just anyone though, it was John!

"Jo-" she gasped, regretting it almost instantly. Bobby's grip on her froze. Making it hurt even more to breathe.

"What-did-you-say?" he gritted his teeth.

Rogue blinked the image outside the door was gone.

"The boy-Jonny-was outside." she lied.

Bobby eased his grip and gave his attention to the small window.

"Guess we should take this to my office. Don't want anyone getting a free show." He lifted the basket from the other end as Rogue picked up her shirt and followed him into a door not 10 feet away.

Once inside he locked the door and sat the basket down in the chair that rested in front of his desk.

"For once you're going to show me how grateful you are to me." bile arose in Rogue's throat as Bobby motioned towards his desk. He must've cleared it off for this occasion earlier, which made her even sicker that he had planned it.

"The food," She offered.

"Microwaves are in the kitchen." He sat on the edge of the desk.

"What do you want me to do?" She swallowed hard.

"Just what I told you. Show me." his arms folded over his chest.

She had been the one receiving for so long, she forgot how to give and enjoy it.

Timidly her hands extended out and pushed his arms down, placing them around the small of her back; then she lightly kissed him. She then began to undo the buttons on his shirt.

While he was **more** than happy at her doing this, she felt disgusting. This wasn't about her though, it was about making sure Scarlett was okay and never had a need for anything. After all, on her own Rogue could never find a job; nobody wanted to hire mutants thanks to Magneto's recent activities. Cold thoughts invaded her mind and his body felt like she was standing naked in a freezer.

"Hey!" Bobby's growl changed from pleasure to displeasure.

Rogue jerked her hands away from his chest. She hadn't even noticed that she was draining him, though it does explain her sudden coldness.

"Sorry," She rubbed her hands together to regenerate their heat.

She forced herself to finish unbuttoning his shirt and push it off her shoulders completely.

"Just don't let it happen again."

"It wont." She ran his fingers over his chest, trying to regain his previous state.

The rest of the events blurred by. For the most part she was forced to be on top, **proving her love and affection** for him. Then at some point, he flipped them and got on top. During that time she turned her head and focused on the tree outside the large window in the back of the office. The first time she had ever confessed her feelings for John he had been burning a tree branch and when she had kissed him the rich and thick smell of smoke filled her lungs.

Then, just like an answered prayer, her mind pushed the feeling and taste of John's kiss into the front of her mind. Offering her a distraction from her current situation.

** * * ***

**Your turn to write. :]] So please do. You all already know you're the best!**

_**RAWR!**_


	7. The Little Abomination

_Then, just like an answered prayer, her mind pushed the feeling and taste of John's kiss into the front of her mind. Offering her a distraction from her current situation._

* * *

John hid himself between the wall and the lockers every time heard someone coming. He was supposed to go undercover and find out about the newest mutant that had gotten here. This mutant was supposed to be the ultimate key. He just had to break into Storm's and find out which kid it is. Or go with the plan….whatever works.

"_Grannnnyyy_" A girly squeal came from down the hall.

"Scarlett!" Storm's voice returned.

There is that name again. And Storm is her 'Granny'?

John listened as tiny feet ran down the hall towards the sound of Storm's clicking boots.

"How is my baby girl?" Storm asked as the child reached her, John presumed.

"Granny, I missed you! Momma keeps forgetting to bring me to see ya!" John peered around the corner, ever so carefully.

Sure enough, Storm was standing there, looking the same as the last time he'd saw her, holding a little girl with: long brown ringlet curls, wearing a red dress, white tights and matching red shoes.

"Oh, we'll just have to talk to Mommy about it wont we?" Storm bounced the little girl.

"Yeah!" She clapped in sheer joy.

"Where is Grandpa?" Storm inquired of the little girl.

"Umm, right dare." _Scarlett_ pointed down the hall they were standing, the one conjoined to his.

"Grandpa, did Scarlett beat you in a race?" Storm acted as if she was shocked as the sound of heavy footsteps came up the hall.

"Yes, she did! Our little baby is getting so fast!" John knew that voice. Logan? That was Scarlett's 'Grandpa'? That only left one person to be the mother…oh no.

...

Snowball's chance in hell that she was Rogue and Bobby's kid! Rogue for some unknown and unimportant reason may have married Bobby, but SHE WOULD NOT HAVE HIS KID!

John shoved his personally feelings aside. He had to complete this stupid mission.

"Look! I helped Grandma! She better now!" _The little Abomination _(in John's mind) was lifting up one of Storm's fingers.

"She did. I cut it earlier and she healed it for me."

"Wow. What a good little girl we have, Grandma, maybe we should treat her to ice-cream. She is going to be staying with us tonight!" Logan tickled the giggling Scarlett under her chin, making her draw back towards Storm.

John shifted, to get a more comfortable position to watch from, temporarily putting his body behind the lockers again. The second he did, Logan froze and sniffed the air. John instantly stopped moving, knowing Logan must've smelled him… He'd forgotten what a powerful nose Logan had.

"What is it, Logan?" Storm's voice mimicked the look Logan had.

"I suddenly smelled the forest. I guess one of the windows got left open and the wind swept through." John congratulated himself on wallowing in the leaves and dirt, getting all of his scent replaced by nature.

"Ice-cream!" Scarlett cheered, hopefully distracting the two adults.

"Oh yes, dear, we haven't forgotten." The sound of their footsteps echoed down the hall they had been standing in.

Relief washed through John's mind.

Okay, now if he can just get Storm and Logan to buy that he was back here to stay and work, this could work.

* * *

Rogue distracted pulled her shirt back over her body as Bobby rattled on about something behind her. It hadn't been the most gruesome time they'd spent together, but it certainly wasn't enjoyed (by her at least). What the night holds for her could---she shuttered at the thought.

"Run these to the teachers lounge will you? We'll be all set to leave once you get back." Bobby handed her a stack of messily ordered papers.

"Yeah." She set the papers down and tugged her jeans back on.

"Thanks, babe." Bobby shrugged his shirt back up on his shoulders.

"No problem." She commented as she picked up the papers and twisted the door knob. Putting as much space between her and her husband as she could.

_I'm so disgusting._

That's what she kept repeating to herself as she walked through the halls. She tainted John's memory with Bobby. She couldn't help but think about John while it happened though. It was the only way she could stand it.

John wouldn't have forced anything on her though---except a kiss.

Tears stung her eyes at the thought of John's kiss. She wanted to kiss him again so bad. She was going crazy by not seeing him! Her mind was even starting to play games on her! All it took was being in these halls again and she thought she saw him!

One powerful breathe. Check.

Absolutely no fear showing. Check.

Mad as hell. Check.

Going to complete this mission. Working on it.

Going to kill Bobby. Do it later.

John took a brave step towards the familiar kitchen he had followed Storm and Logan too.

Boldly, he took a step to the middle of the open door way. Only, both Storm and Logan had their backs to him. _That little Abomination _was the first one to see him. She was sitting on the counter, swinging her legs off the side of it. A silver spoon was hanging out of her mouth, traces of ice-cream all around her mouth. She tilted her head towards him, a smile forming around the spoon.

She looked like Rogue. The same soft southern skin, same long thick hair, same goofy grin. It made him not want to hate her, but she was the spawn of Bobby. That made him automatically hate the child. Anything from Bobby was nothing, but evil. She must be the reason Rogue was covered with bruises and what not. Rogue must only feel its right as _the Abomination's _mother to stay and take care of her.

"Hi!" She pulled the spoon out and waved it at him.

Well, that got Logan and Storm's attention pretty well.

"John!" Storm exclaimed, suddenly standing between the man and child.

"What're you doing back here, Kid? Haven't you caused enough trauma?" Logan snapped.

"Yeah, good to see there are no bad feelings." John scratched the back of his head.

"Logan, clam down. What're you doing here?" Storm placed a calming hand on Logan's forearm.

"Hi!" Scarlett chimed again, leaning over to look at John.

"Look, I know this is going to be hard to believe, but I want to come back. I want to be a teacher here." John put up an innocent smile.

"You've been here a while. I smelled you earlier." Logan commented, his picking up the same pine smell as before.

"Yeah, I didn't know how to approach you. I thought you all might still be mad-"

"Damn right." Logan retorted, not giving John a chance to finish.

"Why do you suddenly want to teach?" Storm inquired.

"HI!" Scarlett demanded.

John's vision shifted to _the little Abomination_, "Just thought it was time I grew up. And who do we have here?" His eyes flickered between Logan and Storm, "You two get busy while I was gone?"

He knew _the Abomination_ wasn't theirs, but to play along with it he asked.

"All of a sudden, eh? And her name is _Scarlett_. No she is not our daughter." Storm stepped aside and let Scarlett look at John straight on once more.

"Yeah. So, can I come back or not? If I cant. I need to get going and find a job. Magneto is making jobs a scarce thing for us mutants." John shifted all of his weight to one foot.

Storm and Logan exchanged glances. If John was with the Brotherhood, he wouldn't dare talk about Magneto like that. It would mean certain death or whatever it was Magneto did. Or maybe that was the whole idea. To make them believe that.

"What were you planning on teaching?" Storm raised a white eyebrow at him.

"Defense of course. Logan must be tired of it by now." John scoffed a laugh.

Once again, Storm and Logan exchanged worried looks.

Then with a small sigh Storm answered, "You can start as soon as you're moved in."

"All I have is in my pack at the gate." John let a smile appear on his face, as if he was thrilled to be back.

"Very well. Welcome back, John. Its good to have you." Storm extended her hand out to him.

John eyed the offer at first, then took her hand. _Phase One: Complete._

* * *

"Is that my baby I hear?" Rogue had heard Scarlett's laughter down the hall.

She'd followed the laughter from the teacher's lounge to the kitchen.

"Momma!" Scarlett put more ice-cream in her mouth.

"Hey! What're you guys doing here?" Rogue pulled down her T-shirt and went to hug Scarlett.

Storm and Logan exchanged a quick glance. Both were very thankful that John had left to go retrieve his bag.

"Well, Storm here, just hired a new teacher." Logan patted Storm's shoulder.

"Really? To teach what?" Rogue smiled.

"Defense." Storm pinched Logan's hand.

"Oh really? That's good, Logan will finally get some time off!" Rogue laughed.

"Momma! Ice-Cream!" Scarlett pushed a spoonful of ice-cream towards her mother.

"No thank you, baby. So, who is the lucky guy who replaces Logan?" Logan's head snapped towards Rogue and he looked at her with a hard stare after her statement, "Not that anyone could, but what is the best they've gotten?" Rogue laughed and hugged Logan.

"Just an old student who came back by. Said that Magneto was making it hard for any mutant to get a job. He said he really wanted to come back and teach." Storm added.

"Well, do I know him?" Rogue smiled.

"I'm not sure. Maybe. We've had plenty of students." Storm smiled back at Rogue.

"Well, I've got to get back to Bobby. Thanks again for keeping Scarlett. Bye, baby, I love you." Rogue kissed Scarlett's hair, hugged Storm and Logan; then retreated back out of the room.

Back to her loving husband. Back to her **worst** nightmare. Back to her _horrid_ fate.

* * *

_**Well that's that! I know it took forever, but if I had rushed this, I would have messed it up and I love this story too much to mess it up! **__**Please go check out my new Pyro/Rogue video. (( **_http:// wwwyoutube .com/watch?v=DfUXdBp1o6A )) _**Hope you like it! I plan on writing much more and updating soon! Please let me know what you think!**_

RAWR


	8. Awkward Moments

Bobby never wanted her to leave the house. Maybe part of it was fear she would

leave and never come back. Maybe it was just him wanting complete control over her. But recently, he seemed more insistent that she stay at home. He no longer wanted her to come and see him at the school to play her part as a 'loving wife'. It was awful strange and hard for Rogue to adjust to.

For about a week, Bobby had been coming home mad every night and doing awful things to her. It would start out with him looking at her as he was about to tear her to shreds. Then he would take her to the bedroom. At first, he would caress her softly, tell her tender little things that made her sick to hear, and act like a real caring husband. Then, as if someone flipped a switch in his mind, his eyes would flash with rage and he aggressively grab her, throw her against something, and make her do awful things. Things that he hadn't asked her to do in such a long time, so long that she thought that he'd forgotten about them.

"Bobby," Rogue asked gingerly, standing in the doorway of _Bobby's_ living room.

Tonight she was going to find out what was wrong. Why every night after she put Scarlett to bed, she got beat so badly and forced to do indescribable things.

"Yes?" Bobby answered distractedly; he was watching something on TV.

Rogue sat down next to him on the couch, "Is something wrong?"

Bobby turned to look at her, "What?"

"It's just that, lately, you seem mad." Rogue rubbed one of the bruises on her wrists. "Is there something going on at the school?"

There was the switch. Thank goodness she had already put Scarlett to bed.

Bobby pinned her into the couch, looking down at her with furious eyes.

"Bobby, please, ow. It hurts." Rogue winced as Bobby's grip on her shoulders tightened.

Bobby didn't answer; he just continued to look at her with those eyes.

"Listen to me and listen very carefully." He seethed, "You are MY wife. Do not EVER forget that. I own you."

"Bobby," Tears were burning Rogue's eyes as Bobby's hands roughly tore open her brand new shirt. "Not tonight, please, Bob-by!" She gasped.

His icy lips pressed against the flesh of her neck, nicking it with his teeth. There were going to be several more bruises she'll have to cover tomorrow when she takes Scarlett to stay with Storm and Logan----at the school. Without Bobby knowing.

She couldn't very well let Bobby take Scarlett; she didn't trust Bobby enough to take Scarlett with him. He hated Scarlett.

Rogue bit her lip and struggled her way through yet another one of Bobby's fits. This time she couldn't pull up John's memory to help her through it though. No matter how hard she tried it wouldn't appear in her mind. She was forced to endure the whole thing, fully conscious of what was going on.

When Bobby was finished with her body, he let put on the shirt he had been wearing (opting to stay shirtless) and then forced her to cuddle with him on the couch. Now she hated the couch too. Bobby was leaving no piece of furniture in this house sacred.

"I love you." He nuzzled against the back of her neck, his arm tightening around her stomach.

"You too." Rogue ignored the pain shooting from the whelp on her stomach that Bobby was applying pressure against.

"I just want to protect you from everyone. I'm the only one who can. You know that right?" He removed his hold on her long enough to retrieve a blanket from the back of the couch and cover them up with it.

"Yeah." She whispered, pulling the blanket as close to her body as she could. She hated how cold Bobby made her feel.

"You know he didn't love you right?" Bobby's words were laced with poison. "He could have taken you with him, but he left you here. He might have even known about Scarlett and left before he had a chance of being involved with her. Didn't want to be a dad or something. He chose to leave you and Scarlett."

"I know." Rogue said what she knew he wanted to hear. But her mind was churning on his statement.

Bobby had never put it like that before. He only said in general that John left her. He rubbed that fact in her face all the time. He never blamed Scarlett with John's leaving though.

What if John had figured it out? Was that really why he left? Cause he didn't want to be a part of Scarlett's life or Rogue's? It did seem to fit the more she thought about it. For him to just leave suddenly with no explanation.

WHAT WAS SHE THINKING? This was John! Not any other guy. John would never do that…right?

"I didn't though. I stayed with you. I've been with you the entire time. I've provided for you and Scarlett. Made sure you had everything you needed." He continued.

"Yeah, I know." A tear escaped Rogue's eye and slid off her cheek.

Bobby had never succeeded in planting a seed or thought of doubt in Rogue's mind about John. Until just then. She just let her mind falter and think the impossible. Worst part being, she was still thinking about it.

* * *

"Hey! Listen up!" Logan barked at the group of rowdy teenage mutants as he entered the classroom, "Sit down and shut up. I have an announcement."

Every student immediately shut their mouths and took a seat; watching Logan march to the front of the room, John following close on his heels.

"I have someone for you all to meet. This is John. He is your new teacher. Don't everyone be disappointed all at once, he is an alright guy. Wont be as good me, but he might come close." Logan pushed John into the student body's attention. "He used to go to school here himself. Act like you have some sense."

John know that whole speech was BS. Logan had an extreme distaste for him. He tried to convince Storm several times to change her mind about him. She never did though. With a look that told John he was being watched, Logan took his leave.

"Okay guys," John clapped his hands together. "Any questions?"

"Yeah, you got a girlfriend?" One of the girls from the back of the room called.

Amusing. "Ha-ha. Nice try."

"You gonna give us a lot of homework?" A boy called from the right from corner.

"Um, I was never a fan of it, so no. We'll just work hard in class." John rolled the sleeves on his pin stripe Oxford shirt up to his elbows.

"Why haven't we heard about you? Professor Bobby and his wife graduated from here. They're even enrolling their kid. She already lives here as it is practically." A nasal voiced girl asked.

"She is so cute." One of the other girls chimed. "I hope my daughter is that cute."

"Yeah." Another added.

"Really now? Well, I took a different course of action a year before graduation. I don't have any kids either." John laughed. "Now are there any questions concerning the course?"

"Do we have to do anything today?"

"No. I have to go see Professor Storm about something. So, you all can head out to lunch if you want to."

There was a thunderous roar of _Yays_ as all of the students gathered their things and bolted from the room.

* * *

"Granny!" Scarlett jerked her hand away from Rogue's and took towards Storm, who was standing across her office behind the desk.

"Hey, I wasn't expecting you for a while." Storm set the papers she had been organizing down.

"Yeah, we decided to come down early." Rogue tucked a few stray hairs behind her ears.

"Well, I'm glad you did." Storm picked up Scarlett and hugged her. "Hi baby. I missed you."

"I missed you too. Where is Grandpa?"

"Right here." Logan appeared behind Rogue, "Where is my girl?"

"Here here!" Scarlett jumped from Storm's arms and darted across the room. "Grandpa!"

"Baby!" Logan held his arms open for Scarlett to jump into.

She did. She hugged his neck and kissed his cheek. Logan returned her actions as he lifted her into the air.

"Well, I'm going to go see Bobby. I need to tell him I have to run to the store."

"Rogue-" Storm's boots clicked across the room, "What happened to your cheek? It looks swollen."

Rogue's hand immediately flew up to cover her cheek. Dang, she thought the swelling had gone down.

"You would laugh if I told you." Rogue smiled trying to think of a story.

Storm's eyes pressed her to continue.

"Okay, you remember the storm the other night?"

Storm nodded.

"Well, the power went out. Me being such an idiot, I took off to investigate something. I couldn't see anything so I ran, face first, into the doorframe. Bobby laughed at me when I woke him up and told him." Rogue lied.

"You have your klutz moments." Logan adjusted Scarlett in his arms.

"Bye, Momma!" Scarlett waved.

"Well, I guess that's my cue." Rogue lowered her hand and began to back out of Storm's office.

"Bye Rogue. Be careful." Storm waved her off.

Rogue exited out into the hall as the lunch bell rang. At least Bobby would be alone in the classroom.

* * *

"Hey, Storm, I got a question. These fighting techniques are kind of old school. Do we have-" There was a sudden eerie quietness in Storm's office when John entered. "Ah, looks who is back."

"John, its your class. Do as you please. And do not refer to Scarlett like that." Storm answered.

"Does she ever go home?" John raised an eyebrow.

"You have a boo-boo." Scarlett pointed to a bruise on John's arm.

He'd forgotten about getting that bruise. He had gotten it by accidentally hitting his arm on a desk, tree, door, on something.

"Yeah. You have good vision." John commented.

Scarlett then made a struggling noise against Logan's hold. Logan put her down soon enough and she walked over to John.

John watched the _Little Abomination_ carefully as she made her to him. She was wearing a pink sundress and little white cowboy boots, Rogue had her hair tied up in a white bow.

"Can I see your boo-boo?" She looked up at him, holding her small tanned hand out.

John's vision shifted over to Logan and Storm, who were watching him very intently.

"Sure." He bent down and let Scarlett examine his arm.

She run her small fingers over the bruise, as if she was a real doctor inspecting it.

Then John felt a tingle feeling in the bruise. John watched the _Little Abomination_ carefully caress over the bruise, the feeling appearing everywhere her fingers touched. Just before he pulled away from her, he watched the bruise suddenly disappear.

"There. Boo-boo gone." She smiled at him.

_The Little Abomination_ already had her mutation? She was a healer? How is it her mother has poisonous skin, her father was an ice-prick, yet she has a healing mutation?

The question in John's eyes was present when he looked back to Storm and Logan.

"What's your power?" Scarlett regained his attention with a question.

"Power?"

"Daddy's is ice." Scarlett bragged.

"Mine is fire."

"Nun-uh!"

John's eyebrow quirked with amusement, replacing the confusion that had just been there.

He pulled his Zippo from his pocket and flicked it open. He then stole the flame from it and played with it in front of the little girl's face. He watched as her eyes lit up with amusement. Yeah, she was defiantly her mother's child.

* * *

"Bobby? Are you in here?" Rogue called into the empty classroom.

There was a small shuffling sound from Bobby's office in the back of the room.

"Rogue?" Bobby swung the door open. "Babe, why are you here?"

"Oh," Rogue entered into the room, gently closing the door behind her, "I came by to drop Scarlett off. I also wanted to tell you I'm going to run by the store, is there anything you need?"

"You came by to see me?" His eyes softened once he finally reached her.

"Um, yes?" Rogue forced a smile onto her face.

Bobby's eyes sharpened, "Have you seen anyone?"

"Just Storm and Logan. Why?" Rogue asked as Bobby placed a kiss on her lips.

His eyes softened again, "Just wondering. No. I don't need anything from the store. I cant wait to get home though. Our night alone." His arms snaked around her waist.

"Can you not do that while children are present? It looks bad on the school." A taunting voice said from the classroom doorway.

Rogue's body went rigid and Bobby's ice started to creep over into body.

"Storm sent me to ask you a question, I guess I'll come back when you're done." John's voice was like music to her ears---or it would be if she wasn't in Bobby's arms and he was kissing her.

* * *

_**Wow…**__**That's kind of long…I hope you enjoyed it! YAY! Now everyone's secrets are starting to roll down the hill, well---all but John's. His are soon to come! PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! RAWR**_


	9. Are you not my girl?

"_Can you not do that while children are present? It looks bad on the school." A taunting voice said from the classroom doorway._

_Rogue's body went rigid and Bobby's ice started to creep over into body._

"_Storm sent me to ask you a question, I guess I'll come back when you're done." John's voice was like music to her ears---or it would be if she wasn't in Bobby's arms and he was kissing her._

* * *

"Haven't you ever heard of knocking you twit?" Bobby growled, stashing Rogue behind him. As if he were preventing John from walking over and snatching her.

"Haven't you ever heard of a room prick?" John returned. "Storm just wants to know if you have everything together for the lecture."

"Yes, I have everything. Now leave." Bobby ordered.

"Thrilled to." John turned to leave once more.

"John?" Rogue had finally found her voice.

John stopped in mid-step at hearing her voice. He slowly looked back over his shoulder at the doe eyed woman hidden behind Bobby.

"Hey, Rogue. See you went back to having Ice-prick….well…yeah." John's eyes flicked over the two in a judgmental way that made Rogue feel filthy.

"Don't talk to my _wife_ that way, John." Bobby's voice warned.

"I don't take orders from you, Bobby." John retorted.

"She wants nothing to do with you from now on." Bobby seethed back at John. For someone who's mutation was ice, his eyes were burning with rage. "So whatever you're planning in your idiotic little head, forget it. She's married to **me**."

"Harsh, but no need to worry. I lost. I'm bowing out gracefully." John's voice wasn't as nice as his words. "Seeing as she gave up on me, I'm returning the favor."

"What?" Rogue interjected, "John, I never-"

Bobby's hand squeezed her wrist, making her stop mid-sentence.

John didn't stay around to question the sudden pain on Rogue's face appeared. He took his leave just after she stopped talking. That wasn't his Rogue anymore. That was Bobby's wife. The woman who had Bobby's kid. The woman who he had witnessed making-out with Bobby. The woman who Bobby for some reason had complete control over.

She wasn't the strong woman he'd left, knowing she would be okay.

* * *

"Rogue," Bobby's grip on her wrist slowly eased. "what were you going to say?"

"I wasn't going to say anything. Why did you do-" Wait, was that why Bobby didn't want her there anymore? "How long has John been back?"

Bobby's eyes raked over her accusingly, "Why does it matter, wife? You're not planning on running off with him are you?"

"No." Rogue snapped her answer quickly.

"Were you planning on telling him about his daughter? The one he _already_ knew about?" Bobby's tone was growing darker and darker.

"Stop!" Rogue screamed, she didn't want to hear those filthy lies about John.

"Rogue, you're my wife."

"But I can quit at any time." Rogue retaliated, staring at him with hate filled eyes. "Right? After all, that is what we agreed."

"Oh really? So now that he is back, you think John automatically wants you again?" She was kind of hoping he _never stopped _wanting her. "You going to hang around the school, waiting for history to repeat itself? Acting like some leachy whore."

" Don't you dare call me that! You cant tell me where I can and cant be! If Scarlett wants to come see her grandparents, I'll bring her! I may be your wife, but I'm not your property." Rogue shoved away from Bobby and made her way through the desks.

"Rogue!" Bobby barked at her.

"I'm leaving!" She jerked the door open and exited the room.

"Wait-" Bobby called after her, but she wasn't listening, which she was going to regret later---but not now.

She hated Bobby. Not just hated, she loathed the very fact he was breathing. Why did he have to tell her over and over again that John wanted nothing to do with her?

With a heart full of despair and anger, she marched through the halls of her old school. The pain in her chest was unbearable, knowing that John was somewhere in these halls. That he was close enough for her touch---finally---and she couldn't. He might as well be a thousand miles away.

Had he really given up on her? Surely not! He was just saying that to Bobby so he wouldn't cause a scene!

She had to ask him, she had to talk to him without Bobby being there.

Seconds later, Rogue was bursting through the doors of Storm's office.

"Rogue, honey, what's wrong?" Storm stood instantly at the sight of the disheveled Rogue.

"Where is he?" She breathed.

"Bobby? In his class-"

"Not him! Where is John?"

Panic flashed through Storm's eyes, "Rogue, sit down and breathe for a minute."

"Please, Storm, I have to talk to him."

After a few seconds of having a mental argument with herself, Storm forfeited, "Check the lunch room."

"Thank you." Rogue was gone just as quick as she had appeared.

In a few minutes, she opened the door to the cafeteria, scanning the rather large crowd for John.

Just when it seemed pointless, she spotted him. He was sitting off in the far corner, by the windows. He was focusing hard on the pouring rain outside. He hadn't changed a bit since she last saw him, well, except he had on a bit more clothes. His hair was a tiny bit longer and had a messy spike style to it, he'd also had blonde put in it. He really did pull off the teacher look rather well. If he'd been a teacher when she went here, she would have totally crushed on him. What was she talking about? She was totally in love with him when he was here. What was she talking about? She is totally still in love with him.

She could tell, just by looking at him, that he was pouting over the fact it was raining. He has always HATED the rain. If they were ever out for a walk and it started raining, he would hide underneath a tree until it stopped. Of course, the time was never boring, while waiting for the rain to pass. They would do cute couple things while no one else was there to see them. Like nestle close together under the protection of the leaves and talk about future plans. Or he would find new ways to memorize her with the things he could do with flames.

Just as she had the first time she was honest with herself about the way John made her feel, she marched across the room towards John.

"Mrs. Drake, it so nice to see you." A student said as she passed their table.

"Oh please call me, Rogue." She stopped for a brief second to look back at the girl.

"Rogue." There was a smile in the voice that said her name behind her, well from the sounds of it, more of a smirk.

"John." She turned from the table once more and faced John, "Its so nice to see you again."

"Oh no. the pleasure is all mine," His eyes raked her body, as Bobby's had, only she didn't mind as much when John did it. Unless of course there was something see might have missed with make-up. "Would you like to join me for a moment, or would your _husband_ not allow that?"

"I decide what I do not him." Rogue answered back quickly, taking the few steps over to his table.

"Really now? Then tell me, if you decide what you do, why are you married to him?" He knew he sounded like the bitter ex-boyfriend, but he was! And he had ever right to be bitter as hell!

Rogue squirmed at the question. She couldn't blurt out why really.

"I don't know. The first few months after you left, I don't even remember breathing." She set her keys down on the table and folded her hands in her lap.

"Apparently that didn't last long. You two have a daughter, who would age right about the time I left. Is Scarlett her name?" John raised a cocky eyebrow at her.

This really wasn't the girl he left. This one was shaking in his seat, had a quivering voice, a bruise hanging out of the collar of her T-shirt, and a swollen eye. She was wearing more make-up than the law should allow, who knows what that was covering up.

Rogue felt like her privacy was being invaded, just by him looking at her that way. As if he had X-ray vision and could see every little lie she was hiding. He could see through her make-up, see all her thoughts, see through her façade, and see through her. "You have no damn idea what I've been through." Her voice broke some. "You should have just told me you wanted nothing to do with any of it and I would have understood. No, you were an guy about it and just **left**. So until you have been through what I go through in one day, screw off!"

She snatched her keys off the table and quickly stood .

John just watched her march away through the waning crowd of kids. Well, at least she hadn't lost all will power. She could still yell and fuss at him the way she used to.

As she exited out of the cafeteria, he finally realized that something else was wrong. That the way Bobby handled her wasn't out of love and concern, that maybe Bobby had fallen off his rocker at touching Rogue like that. Even more so to do it after John came back! What had happened while he was gone?

* * *

_**THAT'S ALL FOR NOW! **__**I graduate from high school tomorrow so wish me luck! I might get to give a speech!**_

_**RAWR**_


	10. Affliction

_As she exited out of the cafeteria, he finally realized that something else was wrong. That the way Bobby handled her wasn't out of love and concern, that maybe Bobby had fallen off his rocker at touching Rogue like that. Even more so to do it after John came back! What had happened while he was gone?_

* * *

How dare he do that to her! After being gone so long, and leaving without warning, to just come back and treat her like that! For him to look at her as if she were a stupid little girl, someone who he didn't have time for! For him to look right over her broken body, as if he really didn't see the faults she tried so hard to cover. Maybe he really didn't care anymore. Was he really leaving her to live forever with Bobby? Without making even the slightest attempt to save her? Why the hell even bother coming back?

Rogue's bitter thoughts continued to brew as she drove home. At least the rain had let up. She had exactly two hours to make dinner for Bobby and herself. And dang-it! Bobby was going to be so mad when he got home. Who knows if she'll even come out of tonight alive!

Busy work. That's what she needed.

She set her mind on the things she had to do as she pulled into the drive way of Bobby's house. Go in, make dinner, straighten up the house a bit, think of a way to defuse Bobby wants he comes in, and try to survive.

O0o0o00o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

She hadn't even heard Bobby pull in the drive way, much less come in the house. So it was a shock, when he was standing behind her at the stove his hand holding tightly to her wrist, hovering it over the heated eye of the oven.

"You like heat? Do you like playing with fire?" His seethed his poisonous words into her ear, still keeping her hand floating over the eye.

"Bobby, stop. Please." She fisted her hand, trying to keep it from touching the burning object below.

"Why? Its your favorite thing. Reminds of you that stupid idiot!" He edged her hand even closer, making it hover just inches above the eye.

"No, it doesn't. Please Bobby, its burning me." She begged, trying her hardest to get away from the stove eye.

"I bet you ran straight to him." He squeezed her wrist even more. Ignoring her constant pleas.

"No I didn't Bobby." Rogue felt the heat sinking into her skin. Blistering the skin of her palms.

"I had students tell me. _My own students _told me that you went and talked to him at lunch! Did you tell him about Scarlett? Tell him how the little brat is his?" Rogue was suddenly facing Bobby, her back to the oven. Bobby had spun her around to face him. At least her hand wasn't completely burned, with some luck it would just be badly blistered.

"No Bobby!" Tears were brimming in her eyes.

"Really, then whore, what did you talk about?" Bobby growled, pressing her against the oven.

"I went to ask him why he left!" Rogue confessed. "But we just ending up fighting! I left him!"

"You left?" His grip on her wrist eased.

"Yes. He was being a complete-jerk." Rogue felt the heat that had been previously threatening her hand, now crawling up her back. "Bobby, please, its

burning me."

Suddenly, Bobby's grip was tight again and he flung her away from the oven and into the corner cabinets.

"You still went to him. You should have just gone home." He had his arms on either side of her, pinning her into the corner on the cabinet.

"I'm sorry." Rogue whimpered.

"You'd better be." His lips landed on hers greedily.

He was going to lock her down in his familiar pattern. She should be used to it, but she wasn't. She hated every second of it. She hated every second that Bobby touched her.

"Bobby," She struggled against his kisses, "I have to finish cooking. The-oven-is-on."

"I'm not hungry." Bobby's left hand extended over and twisted the knob to shut the eye off.

"You're-" Rogue tried to divert him one more time. "Hurting me."

"Nothing you don't deserve." Bobby growled, his hands grabbing aggressively at her hips.

* * *

"Hey Fire-man!" Scarlett's voice yelled from behind John as he walked down the empty hall. It was 11 o'clock, why was she still up?

John stopped to let the Little Abomination catch up with him.

"Who was you talking to?" She asked, looking up at him.

"What?"

"When you was outside on the phone." She continued.

John eyed her suspiciously, he'd just hung up the phone with Magneto. He was gathering exactly what kind of mutant this student was, of course, Magneto didn't know the mutation, just that the child was the newest student.

"My friend."

"Who?"

"I'm not telling you."

"Why?"

"Lord you ask a lot of questions."

Scarlett just looked up at him innocently. She looked so much like her mother, it took all of John's restraint to not pick her up and hug her close.

"Was it momma?"

"No."

"Daddy?"

"Nope. Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"I'm hiding from Grandpa." She giggled.

"Well here, let me give you some help." John offered his hand to the little girl.

"Yay!" She quickly accepted his offer.

John lifted the girl and held her in his arms. He wanted to hate her. He so badly wanted to hate her. There was so much of Rogue in her though, he couldn't.

John carried her down the quiet hall, her constant gibberish talk was the only noise.

"Why did you say that you don't like it here?"

"What?" John turned down a the teacher's hall.

"You said that on the phone." Scarlett added.

"Cause I don't." John had complained about the fact that it was just evil of Magneto to make him stay here and watch what was going on here.

"I do."

"I know." He couldn't believe he was actually having a conversation with a three year old.

Luckily, he'd finally reached Scarlett's room, he could even hear Storm inside.

He pushed the door open with ease, "Lose something?"

"Ah! You took me to them! I wanna stay up! I wanna stay with Fire-Man!" Scarlett clung to John's shoulder.

"Nope, be a good girl and go to bed." John willingly handed Scarlett over to Storm.

"No! Grandma no!" Scarlett fought.

"Come on Baby. You'll see him in the morning." Storm calmed the near tears child.

John backed out the door, turning back before he left; Scarlett was crying, still reaching towards him. He smiled at the little girl, a bitter smile, then left.

* * *

"Can you keep Scarlett for a few days? Bobby is bringing some clothes for her. I must've caught a cold yesterday. I don't want her to catch it as well." Storm was the first person Rogue called the next morning.

"Sure, it's no problem. I don't think it will be anyway, she cried herself to sleep last night trying to get to John." Storm laughed, "Let us know if you need anything okay?"

Rogue's blistered hand twitched. Why was Scarlett crying over John?

"Okay. Bye." She hung up the phone and ran her good hand through her hair.

Bobby was still laying next to her, asleep in the bed. They lived close enough to the school that he didn't need to get up in early hours to get ready.

She was right, he'd been furious last night. She more than likely had bruises covering most of her stomach and ribs, along with some new ones on her arms and legs too. He'd told her how wretched of a human being she was last night. Over and over and over again.

That's why she called and asked for Scarlett to stay over for a few days. She didn't want her daughter to see her like this. She didn't have enough make-up and clothes to cover everything. No, she had to protect her daughter from this. Even if it meant she didn't get to see her for a few days.

But just how safe was she there with John? John was smart, he could put it together in just a few days that Scarlett was his. There was nothing she could do though. She had to sit here and wait for all these bruises to heal and her soreness to fade away.

"Hmff, Rogue?" Bobby's hand slid out from underneath the blanket and draped over her waist.

"Yes Bobby?" She began to slide back down under the covers.

"What time is it?"

"Almost Seven."

"I don't want to get out of bed. You're much nicer to cuddle against." He nuzzled his face against her sore stomach.

Rogue kept quiet. She let Bobby nuzzle against her for a few minutes, then he decided it was time to get up. Leaving her alone in the bed.

"What time are you getting Scarlett?" He asked from the bathroom, he must've been brushing his teeth, due to the gurgle sound to his voice.

"I'm not." She flung the covers off her legs with her good hand, no use denying the day. "I wa going to send some clothes with you for her so she can stay all weekend."

Bobby's head peered out of the bathroom at her, the toothbrush still hanging from his mouth. The look on his face was sheer confusion.

"I don't want her coming home to-see me like this." Rogue lifted her pajama shirt to reveal the colorful array of bruises on her stomach.

"You deserved it. I don't feel bad." Bobby shrugged then returned to brushing his teeth.

"I'm going to go gather her some clothes." Rogue tucked a few stray hairs behind her ears and started out of the room.

She could go ahead and wrap her hand while she was at it.

* * *

**_You wont believe me, but I wrote out a plotline! Its epic too! Ha-ha. Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Tell me what you think! I've been a high school graduate for almost 4 days! Its an awesome feeling too! YAYNESS! _**

**_Well, that's all, please do let me know what you think! I write for you all! Wont know how I'm doing if you don't tell me! _**

**_RAWR_**


	11. All Sorts of Unexpecteds

"_You deserved it. I don't feel bad." Bobby shrugged then returned to brushing his teeth._

"_I'm going to go gather her some clothes." Rogue tucked a few stray hairs behind her ears and started out of the room._

_She could go ahead and wrap her hand while she was at it._

* * *

"But I need it!" John walked into Scarlett whining to Logan in the REC room.

It was as if she appeared everywhere John was.

"Honey, you'll just have to wait until I can take you. Both Grandma and I have to teach this hour." Logan bargained with the little girl. "I'll take you as soon as I can."

"Now!" Scarlett demanded. She was used to getting her way with Logan apparently.

"Young lady, do not take that tone with me." Logan warned, the stern look on his face wasn't as convincing as his words.

Scarlett crossed her arms over her chest, and stared right back at Logan. Where did she get that attitude from? Rogue was never that cocky and Bobby was too spineless to act that way.

Just before Logan caved into Scarlett's wishes, he noticed John.

"What is it, Kid? Cant you see we're having a debate?" Logan stood up straight.

"I can see that you're on the losing side." John chuckled back.

"Fire-Man!" Scarlett was suddenly wrapped around John's legs, clinging for dear life.

As Logan eyed the situation carefully, John was almost scared to move.

"Fire-Man! Help me!" Scarlett pleaded from the floor.

She had her blue jean clad legs, wrapped around his right leg, and her upper body hanging tight to his knee.

"What am I helping with?" John asked, children and their fits weren't his favorite things to handle.

"She says she needs something from her house." Logan explained with an unhappy face.

"Your mom is coming to get you later, just chill out and wait." John looked down at Scarlett again, who was now standing in front of him rather than clinging to his leg.

Her pink T-shirt, that he could now read, said everything. _My Grandpa spoils me rotten_.

"No!" She stomped her foot, "She's not!"

"Rogue called this morning and said she was sick. She wants Scarlett to stay over the weekend." Logan commented.

"And she didn't send whatever she is needing?"

"Apparently not." Logan sighed, "Look Scarlett, why don't you just play with John here until I can take you?"

Scarlett looked back and forth between Logan and John. As if she was really considering her options.

"Can you take me?" She blinked up at John.

Uh…no.

"What a good idea Scarlett! John has nothing better to do, he can take you home and get whatever it is you're needing." Logan's voice was suddenly happier.

"Hey, wait-" John began to protest.

"YAY! I can ride with Fire-man!" Scarlett cheered, now jumping around John's feet.

"You'll do it right John?" Logan's sharp eyes were staring at him. "Drive her home, let her get what she needs, then come back. Not getting out of the car, not bothering Rogue, not talking to Rogue. And without harming one single hair on her precious head right?"

It wasn't so much of a question as a 'You're doing it so shut-up and be happy about it.'

"Please!" Scarlett chimed in from below.

"Let me go get my car keys." John gave in. This mission sucked. He hated being told what to do constantly.

"John! Pick Rogue and Scarlett up something to eat too." Logan tossed John a twenty dollar bill.

"Of course." John stashed the money in his pocket.

0o0o0o0o0

After getting direction from Logan, and picking up a (as Rogue would call it) monster burger and shake, happy meal, and something for himself; John embarked on the drive with Scarlett. She was clapping and singing for most of the car ride, her happiness even rubbed off on him and he smiled.

While she was waving her hands in the air and clapping, John's eyes noticed something through the rearview mirror though.

"What happened to your arm?" John asked, switching his vision back and forth between the backseat and the road.

"Where?" She instantly started twisted her arm to see the bruise John had spotted.

If she had gotten hurt, Logan was going to kill him.

"Oh, that's where I was a bad girl." She acted nonchalant about it.

"Says who?"

"Daddy." Her happiness was quickly draining away.

"Why don't you just make it better?"

"I cant. I cant make my boo-boos. I tried helping Momma's but she just stays sad like it still hurts." She frowned, laying her head back against her car seat and looking out the window.

"Your mom has them?"

"Yeah, she has more than me. Like lots more," She explained 'lots' by expanding her arms out to show him, "than me. Hers have lots of colors and shapes and sizes."

"Why?" John's hands were wringing around the steering wheel.

Scarlett rolled her head back around to look at him, "I don't know." She shrugged her shoulders, "Maybe Momma was a bad girl too."

Just then, John's cell phone.

"Hello?" He answered quickly.

"Any news?" Magneto's voice was cold on the other end.

"No. Don't worry, I'm working on it. This isn't exactly an easy thing to do you know?"

"Who is that?" Scarlett yelled from the backseat.

"Yes, who is that?" Magneto mirrored her question.

"My friend," John answered Scarlett, who then went back to staring out the window, "That would be a Storm and Logan's grandchild."

John knew Magneto's silver eyebrow had shot up.

"Part of the job." John said in a harsh tone.

"Don't let your anger or lack of patients get the best of you. Remember, this is for the good of the Brotherhood. If you would stop acting on your emotions and start thinking with your brain, you might have already been done."

"Cause I _really_ enjoy being here." John's tone melted into sarcasm.

"The new mutant is a girl. Her power is marvelous for her age. Find her and get back. Don't go trying to reignite an old flame." Magneto hung up as John pulled into the house's driveway.

"Help me Fire-Man! I cant get out!" Scarlett was squirming in her seat.

"Hold on." John shoved his phone back into his pocket. This child had no patients.

Doesn't that sound familiar?

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o000ooo0o0o0

Rogue wasn't expecting company, so when the black Corvette pulled into the driveway, she jumped up and hurriedly tidied up the living room, given she'd been doing laundry and had piles of clothes all over the couch.

"Momma!" Scarlett's voice called from the other side of the door, her little fist hitting it as hard as she could.

Rogue clicked off the television and made her way over to the door. After stopping at the mirror by the door, she pulled a few wisps of hair down to cover a little swollen lump on her forehead, pulled her T-shirt down to make sure her stomach was covered; then she finally opened the door.

"Momma! Look what Fire-Man got for you! Yummy food!" Scarlett darted into the house, leaving Rogue facing John, who had two handfuls of food, and the bright light that shone in behind him.

"May I?" He motioned towards entering the house. Magneto was right, he needed to quit acting like a pansy about this.

"Um, yeah. Come on in." She stepped out of the doorway to allow him in.

Good thing she was wearing jeans, otherwise all the scars and bruises on her legs would be visible.

"You don't sound like you have a cold." John commented as he handed her the bad with her food in it.

"Oh, um, I took some allergy medicine." She set the bag on the coffee table, "Thanks, I was beginning to wonder about what I was going to make for lunch."

"I hope you still like the same stuff." John murmured.

"Oh yeah." Rogue wished the somehow that lights would go dim in the room, it was too bright and she hadn't put on any make-up.

There was a moment of awkward silence between the two, then finally John spoke up, "Scarlett is a-good kid."

Rogue nodded, "Yeah. She is my little angel."

"Does she ever misbehave? Aside from the fits she pitches with Logan?"

"She has her moments, but she is usually a good kid. Why?"

John scanned over Rogue's face. There was some swollen places, and the edge of a bruise seemed to hanging from the sleeve of her T-shirt, along with the fact her hand was wrapped in an ACE bandage.

"She has a bruise on her arm." John could see the alarms go off in Rogue's eyes. "Says Bobby gave it to her when she was 'a bad girl'."

"Bobby isn't-" Rogue bit her tongue to withhold her next comment.

"FOUND IT!" Scarlett came running back into the room.

"A stuffed rabbit?" John raised his eyebrow at he object. It looked a tiny bit familiar.

"Oh, baby, I'm sorry I forgot to pack Nom-Nom." Rogue laughed as Scarlett proudly displayed the bunny.

It had been a gift from John to Rogue while they were dating, he'd won it for her at a fair. When Scarlett was born it became her favorite thing to sleep with. Thinking of the sudden memory made Rogue hurt.

Once again, she was standing so close to John, their daughter was even in the room with them, and she couldn't do anything.

"I'm going to go get Poppy, then we can go!" Scarlett retreated back out of the room.

"I have to know, how long did it take Bobby to convince you to move on?" John's question was one she had been expecting.

John finally realized that the doll Scarlett had been holding, had been his gift to Rogue.

"A long time. And I never really did move on. It was because of Scarlett that I had to accept you were gone and do the right thing."

"By who? By me, you, or Bobby?" John's voice was sharper than he had intended it to be.

"I couldn't take care of Scarlett alone. I had to have someone!"

"Was there another guy in the mix?" John was confused by her statement.

"No! Of course not. I didn't want to bother Logan and Storm by taking care of me. So when Bobby asked," Or when he finally backed her into it, "I said yes."

"Did you wait a whole day? A week? Or maybe even a month." John spat at her.

Rogue chocked, holding down the tears that so badly wanted to pour out. "I'm sorry. No one believed you were ever coming back. I kept getting told how stupid I was to wait around and how it was pointless. That you didn't care enough to come back."

She covered her face with her hands.

"What the hell Rogue?" John's voice went from anger to astonishment.

Rogue's heart froze. Damn this shirt for being too short.

"I fell. Don't make something of it, that its not." She quickly wiped her eyes, then tugged the shirt back down.

John only stared at her in disbelief. All the evidence was laid out in front of him and he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Did Bobby do that to you?" He could barely form the word, due to his anger. "Is that what happened to your hand too?"

"No! I touched the stove eye last night while it was still hot!" She lied.

"Surely, you wouldn't let him! If Logan ever found out-"

"I FELL! Its nothing! Ask Storm and Logan, they'll tell you I'm a klutz!" Rogue boomed back.

John stepped forward and pulled the tail of her shirt up slightly before she could protest, "Oh my-" He was at a loss for words, "You let him do this?"

"Stop!" She pushed her shirt back down and John away.

"I'll kill him." John seethed.

"You can't! He is the only reason that Scarlett and I have a place to live!" Rogue's tears gushed out as she sank onto the couch.

John only stood inches away from her.

"Please, John. For Scarlett's sake. Don't tell anyone. This is the first time it's happened. It was an accident too. So just please-" Despite her head hanging low, her hand came up and found his, "don't bother with it."

* * *

"Here are the call records Mr. Allerdyce for." A woman in a gray business suit handed Bobby a stack of call records. "Is there anything else we can do?"

"No. Thank you very much, I'll make sure John gets these the moment I find him." Bobby smiled.

"Thank you. Have a nice day." The woman turned and left, her black pumps clicking all the way down the hall.

Bobby was going to find out what in hell John was here for and he was starting with phone calls.

There was just one constant number, for research's purpose, Bobby dialed the number into his phone.

A voice answered on the second ring, "Hello?"

"Yes, whom am I speaking with?"

It was quiet on the other end, "This is a most interesting turn of events. Bobby Drake."

Bobby turned to make sure the hall was clear of people. "I'm going out on a limb here and say, this is Magneto?"

"Correct, my boy. Now to what do I owe this pleasant surprise? Am I too assume you will now expose the plan you think is being plotted?" Magneto chuckled on the other end.

"No. I don't know why John is here, but I'm going to be more than willing to help you, if it gets him out of here and away from my wife." Bobby growled into the receiver.

* * *

_**Uh-oh! John's stuff is being trifled in! He wont like that at all. I need you all to hang on with me through the next few chapters, its more than likely going to start sounding like a crazy person is writing this (truth be told, I am), but its all going to come together!**_

_**I also realized I got on kind of a repetitive hook there, so I'm glad I broke that. REDONE! **_

**_I thought today (July 8th was Xmen day...oh well.) Thank you Rain! I'm sorry I forgot to mention it last chapter! _**

_**RAWR**_


	12. Old Flames Can Cause New Problems

Holding John's hand for the first time in years caused a floodgate of memories to break open. The coldness that had long infected her heart, mind and soul began to melt at the small contact with his skin. The fear of losing that treasured feeling made her whole body paralyzed. The smallest breath could shatter the entire moment and he would be gone. The coldness would come back and she would be trapped forever.

"Don't." John muttered under his breath, his eyes staring intently at the floor, his jaw was clenched tightly shut and every muscle in his body was locked.

In the same second Rogue jerked her hands back from him and apologized, a reaction that had become instilled in her.

"Don't stand there being _her _when you're not." John balled his fist and released it. Then did it again. He didn't want to get in this deep. He didn't want to have the feelings he had long ago sectioned off to be revisited. Standing here with her though, her hand grasping his for dear life. He could feel the dull pull of her mutation stealing the heat from his body, just like he remembered it doing so whenever she felt sick or extremely tired and had no way of controlling it.

She wasn't his Rogue anymore though. She was Bobby's. Everything they had worked so hard for together was gone. All the milestones they had passed to make her into a stronger woman, it was as if they didn't exist.

He wanted to demand an answer as to why she had let this happen in the first place. She was smart enough to get out of it. If Logan ever found out, well, if she had a good insurance policy it would do nothing but benefit her.

Rogue's eyes downcast themselves in shame. John was right. She wasn't the girl she used to be, but for those few brief seconds when she could have almost pretended to be-that was all the she needed.

Suddenly Scarlett came hopping back into the room, holding another stuffed animal in her arms, "I'm ready Fire-Man! Love you Momma!"

"Come here and give Momma a hug before you leave me." Rogue smiled at her daughter who reluctantly left John's side to come over to her. "Be good okay?"

"Okay." Scarlett whined trying to get loose from her mother.

Once she was free, the little girl ran out into the front yard.

"Thank you for taking care of her. She really adores you. You're all I hear about when she comes home from the school." Bobby didn't like hearing it, but that didn't really need to be brought up right now. "John, please continue too. The only other person she loves more than you is Logan." She bit back her tears.

John looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Yes, he and the Little Abomination do spend a fair amount of time together, but that's only because she never leaves his side if she is around. He wouldn't admit it out loud but he liked having her around sometimes, it was just a like a miniature Rogue, but with about twenty times more attitude.

"Please? She even packed something special for you in her bag." Rogue offered a small smile to the very handsome man in front of her.

John couldn't find words to answer her, so he only nodded. Then, as if they had never been there, they were gone.

o0o0o0o0-oo0o0o0o0o0o0o-

"Hey, Fire-Man." Scarlett called from the backseat.

"Yes?" John answered her halfheartedly.

"Your boo-boos keep coming back. Like Momma's."

John took advantage of their being stopped at a red light and glanced down at his knuckles. They were bruised and cut in various places, not enough to bring him any pain or discomfort. He'd been hitting the gym so hard it was hitting him back. Scarlett had made mention of them before and used her mutation to clear them up, but just hours later they had returned. This perplexed the little girl and frustrated her beyond belief.

"Really now?" John asked as he pushed the pedal of the car down, seconds after the light had turned green.

"Yeah. I must be breaking." She pondered as she studied her fingers. "But it works on Granny and the other kids. Even on Daddy!"

"Maybe your mom and I are broke. Not you." John offered.

"But I can't fix you or Momma!" She sounded as if she was about to burst out in tears and that was the last thing John needed seeing as they were so close to the school.

"Hey, hey." He called out to the whimpering child.

She halted to listen to whatever it was that he had to say.

"You're not broken. Your mom and I are just different. You can't fix different. Okay?"

She nodded, "But you and mommy always look sad. If I could make it better you wouldn't be sad no more!"

"I'm not sad. Your mom isn't sad. Things are just different for grown-ups. Just don't cry cause your grandpa will kill me."

This made her giggle slightly.

"Oh that's funny? You think Fire-Man getting killed is funny?" John watched her in the rear view mirror for half a second, a smile streaking across his face.

"No!" She defended with a laugh. "I will protect you!"

"With what? Nom-Nom and Poppy?" He added with a chuckle of his own.

She thought for a second before answering, "Yes!"

"Oh, by all means then, cry to your heart's content. If I've got you and your dolls for protection."

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"You're in an awfully good mood tonight." Bobby quipped as Rogue cleared the table of their dinner plates.

"Not really." She tried to balance a plate on her burned hand, almost dropping it by the time she made it over to the sink.

"Yes. Maybe sending the rodent away more often isn't a bad idea. It does make me uneasy, her staying at the school when John is there and all though."

"Whats that supposed to mean?" Rogue tried to make her voice sound as uninterested as possible.

"Well, I mean, he hides around corners and makes phones. Hasn't made a real attempt to form a relationship with anyone there, not even a 'good morning' most days. There is just something about him that I don't trust."

"You weren't going to trust him anyway."

"No, I wasn't." Bobby was acting oddly calm, "But I figure since the rodent is always clinging to his leg and whatnot, you might be interested."

Rogue's mind chewed over the information before she offered a rebuttal, "I couldn't do anything anyway. I'm not allowed to go to the school. You have me grounded to the house, even gone as far as hiding my car keys."

Bobby's eyebrow spiked up, causing Rogue to take in a quick breath.

"Perhaps, I may have been a bit over the top, but I just had to make sure you weren't going to run off and make a stupid mistake I would have to end up cleaning." Bobby spoke coolly as he took another sip from his mug.

0O0o0o0o00

"Well, it looks like all your hard work has paid off, Pyro." Magneto's cool voice came from the other end of the phone.

"I haven't had time too-"

"No, my boy, you have."

"What're you talking about?" John was trying to keep his voice in a hushed tone, as to not awake the sleeping monster that was sucking her thumb as she slept. Seeing as the 'great surprise' she brought for him was a book for him to read to her.

"We were finally able to figure out what child it is. All that is left is for you to locate her and inform us when you are ready to be retrieved. You've done a marvelous job. You located the child before we even knew who she was!" There was a sudden squeeze in John's chest. The feeling that radiates from your chest to the pit of your stomach twisting in knots until you can almost feel yourself shaking in fear. He should have seen this coming. He should have known better.

His ears were peeled waiting for Magneto to say the name that every fiber of his being wished it wouldn't. Because if it was indeed the child that was next to on the couch, in one of the few teacher only rec rooms, as she laid asleep with her head resting in his lap, he didn't know what he would do.

"Who is it?" He swallowed hard, he knew forming any kind of attachment to the little Abomination would end in nothing but disaster. Why didn't he stop himself? Why didn't he just come here and mind his own business?

Magneto chuckled on the other end of the phone, "Her name is Scarlett."

* * *

_**Okay, please don't kill me for taking so long. But I've got my crap together now and this story has its direction set now! Thank you for hanging around! I can only offer the excuse of life getting in the way and hope you do forgive me. **_

_** Well, thats it for this chapter. I didn't want to throw too much at you in one chapter. So I hope you look forward to the future chapters! **_

_** Until then,**_

_**RAWR**_


	13. FireMan Wont You Stay?

Sleep evaded John for most of the night. It was mostly being chased away by the thought of him being the one that was going to cause Rogue to have a mental breakdown. He could see it in the way that Rogue talked about Scarlett and coddled her that the child was indeed the center of her universe, maybe even the only happy thing about her life. Yet, he was stealing the small glimpse of sunshine that Rogue had.

John had watched the little girl's chest heave up and down all night, picking out every feature she shared with her mother. Thinking of how being this close to her made him feel like he had Rogue here with him once more. Thinking of how if he had stayed, it might have been his daughter he was staring down at. That he might have been married to Rogue and she wouldn't be suffering the way she was.

Shaking all of those accurst thoughts from his head, he tried to refocus his mind. His mission. That's what he needed to keep his mind on. Not fluttering thoughts of '_what-if_' and '_might have_ _been's,_ he had a job and he was going to do it. It was just unfortunate that Rogue's feelings were just going to have to suffer.

A buzz from John's phone tore his attention away from the girl.

"Hello?" He answered in a quick hushed tone.

"My boy, you don't sound like you got much sleep." Magneto was on the other end.

"Because I didn't." John spoke through gritted teeth as he wiped his hand down his face in frustration.

"Perhaps this mission is proving to be too much for you?"

"No!" John snapped, even though it was a lie. He knew from the very instant he saw Rogue that the mission was going to be too much. The by-accident he saw the way Bobby had her in the classroom, the bruises he witnessed on her body, the way she talked as if she was terrified of him-all of this made John more than aware this mission was more than he could tolerate.

"Then be ready by tonight. We've wasted enough time on your incapability to do your mission." His elder's words were sharp, causing him to come back to some form of reality.

Magneto didn't wait for John to agree or disagree. Instead he just ended the phone call as soon as he gave his orders.

Frustration made John slam his head against the back cushion of the couch. Then repeated the action several more times.

For the first time since he joined Magneto, he didn't want to follow his orders. What good was the little Abomination anyway? Yes, she had a healing mutation, but that wasn't anything too special. Surely there was another mutant out there that had it. One that wasn't the child of Rogue and grandchild to Logan and Storm.

Even if he did manage to convince himself to take her, how could he look at the child everyday, see Rogue and be perfectly okay? How could he sleep through the nights when she would wail and cry down the corridor for her mother that wouldn't be able to find her? What would he do when she would catch a glance of him and beg with tear seeping eyes for help and he had none to offer to her? And what if she suddenly looked at him and saw the bad person he truly was?

"Fire-Man?" A small yawn filled voice chirped.

John's thought train derailed as he stopped his actions and looked down at the chocolate eyes that were staring straight back up at him.

"What are you doing?" She rubbed her eyes sleepily.

"Knocking my brain loose."

"Why?"

"So you could ask me that." John wiggled his fingers over the slightly exposed skin of her stomach, making her giggle.

He didn't know why he was still playing the nice guy with the child, but it just came so naturally to want to make her smile and want her to laugh that he did it.

She tried to catch his fingers to prevent the tickling, but was unsuccessful. This lead to her squealing out in laughter and curling up into a ball in his lap to evade him. After a few more attempts she caught his fingers and held them tightly in his grasp.

"Oh no! You've caught me! What ever shall I do?" John made a weak attempt at freeing his fingers.

She thought for a moment then laughed, "You're so silly. I love you."

Suddenly everything in that moment everything in John's mind and world froze.

* * *

Rogue woke-up for the first time in a long time, refreshed. Bobby never came to bed that night, leaving it all to her. She yawned and stretched her limbs out, basking in the small amount of sun leaking in through the curtains. Right outside the window birds were chirping happily and the sounds of people starting their days filled the air.

Her ears picked up on definite voice coming from down the hall. Suddenly her happiness faltered and the whole day seemed dimmer.

"-tonight? It seems a bit sudden but okay." She listened in, after having crept out of bed and over to the open bedroom door.

She tried to pick up more of what he was saying, but one of the neighbors decided to begin mowing their lawn so it was all drowned out.

"Done deal." Bobby had ended the conversation, loudly banging the phone back onto the receiver and judging by the sounds of the footsteps, he was headed her way.

In a flash, Rogue flung herself back on to the bed, crawled under the blanket and pretended to be asleep.

His steps were heavy as he crossed the room, stopping on inches away from the bed.

"Rogue." He shook her shoulder.

She mumbled and tugged the blanket up over her head.

"Come on. Its time to wake-up." The fact that he was speaking to her so carefully,with such affection, should have made her suspicious.

Still, she acted as if she was just rising. "Good morning?"

"Morning." He spoke with a too sweet smile stretching across his face. "How did you sleep?"

"Good." Rogue sat up hazardously, "Yourself?"

"Most refreshing sleep I've got in a long time!" He crawled up next to her on the bed, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"That's good." She offered with a faked yawn.

"It is!" He gave her a shake.

"No work?"

"Yeah, I was going to see if you wanted to come with me?"

Bobby's offer stunned Rogue to the point of being without words.

Bobby noted her quizzical look.

"You," She took a pause between her words, "want me to come to work with you?"

"Yeah! I mean, I'm pretty sure you're getting tired of sitting in the house all the time, right?" If she didn't know Bobby, she would have guessed he was just being super thoughtful and considerate. But she was almost sure that wasn't the case.

"I guess so." Rogue pulled from his grip and slid off her side of the bed.

"Great! Get ready so we can go ahead and head out." Bobby was off the bed once more and headed towards the door, "Oh yeah, pack an overnight bag. I have some meetings that are going to run over so we're just going stay the night."

Then he was gone, leaving Rogue with a dumbfounded look on her face.

* * *

"Momma!" Scarlett was suddenly ripping her hand from John's and bolting towards Rogue who was standing at the other end of the hall.

"Scarlett!" Rogue bent down and welcomed her daughter with open arms. "Momma missed you baby! Did you have fun?"

"Yeah! Fire-Man-" She turned to point at John, but he had disappeared from sight, "where'd he go?"

"Who?"

"Fire-Man. He was just right dare." Scarlett pointed down the hall.

Rogue's heart skipped a beat as she glanced up, hoping to see a fragment of John being there. It was as if he was so close she could smell him. He always had a smokey smell to him that she swore was smelling right then.

"What about him?" Rogue gave her attention back to her daughter.

"He read my book to me! I don't think he liked it though. He said it didn't make sense and that dinosaurs can't be friends with cats. We watched a movie too and I didn't have to sleep in my bed! Grandpa let me sleep on the couch with Fire-Man! It was so much fun! I wanna do it again tonight!"

"Well, Momma is here tonight so I don't think that will be happening." Rogue smiled at her daughter, inwardly she was torn and conflicted though. It made her beyond happy that John was spending time with Scarlett (and it wasn't forced!), but it scared her that John might put the pieces together before she could muster up the courage to tell him.

"Why?! You can come too! Fire-Man always sleeps in there! Its a sleep-over! We can eat ice-cream and watch movies and play with dolls!"

"We'll just have to wait and see." Rogue began walking down the hall, Scarlett keeping step next to her.

"Momma?"

"Yes, Baby?"

"I think I'm broken." The little girl was examining her fingers.

"Are you hurt?" Rogue stopped.

"No. But I can't fix Fire-Man's boo-boos and I can't fix your boo-boos." The little girl frowned deeply.

"Aw, honey, that's not your fault." Rogue poked Scarlett's nose, earning a laugh from her, "Fire-Man and I are immune."

"Whats that mean, Momma?"

"It means that it won't help us because of some unknown reason in this situation. But you can still help everyone else!"

"Oh. Why are you imm-un-in?"

"I don't know. Could be any reason." The fact that they were her parents would be the leading cause as of right now.

"Okay." Her curiosity seemed content with that answer.

* * *

John had just finished making his 39th call to Magneto's number, each had failed to go though. He had less than an hour before he was supposed to be Scarlett's room, be ready and waiting to go by the window to snatch her and go. He had argued with his mind all day over the situation, he knew he shouldn't do it, but he couldn't go back to the brotherhood if he didn't.

Why did she have to say that to him? Why did the Little Abomination have to go off and tell him that she loved him? Everything would have been so much easier if she hadn't said that.

"John!" A stern voice called him from his thoughts.

He turned to see an unamused Logan standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

"Did you forget something?" Logan quipped.

John looked at him with a confused expression, clearly indicating he had forgotten.

"Scarlett is saying you promised to read her book with her and she won't go to bed until you do."

"Oh yeah. I'll head there right now." John nodded and began to walk towards the door that Logan was still blocking. "Excuse me?"

"Don't make her wait any longer. She is mean when she doesn't get enough sleep." Logan warned before removing himself from the doorway.

How was John supposed to go in there and sit with her until she fell asleep than just pick her up and disappear into the night with her. He'd tried to tell Magneto he wanted out. It may have meant falling in the ranks in the brotherhood, it may have meant getting removed from the brotherhood, but he just couldn't tell himself that it was the right thing to do.

When he got to the room, he was alarmed when he heard more than one voice.

"Fire-Man!" Scarlett screamed from her bed as he entered. Tears filling her eyes as she grasped the air between them.

Rogue was sitting on the bed next to her, holding her in it, "Good job, you let her sleep on the couch one night and its all she wants to do!"

"This isn't my fault. She wanted to do it. Kid needs a little fun." John walked over to the opposite side of the bed to Rogue.

Scarlett latched onto his hand when he got close enough.

"Fun is one thing. Now she thinks she needs to have sleep-overs in the rec rooms every night." Rogue cooed at her daughter in-between scolding John.

"Hey," John spoke to the little girl, "stop crying or we won't read the kitten book."

"I DON'T WANNA READ THE KITTEN BOOK! I WANNA HAVE A SLEEP-OVER WITH FIRE-MAN!" She pulled his arm until he sat on the bed with her.

"Scarlett, honey, just not tonight." Rogue patted her daughter's back.

"Look, hey, we'll do it again. But tonight you have to sleep in here okay?" John spoke softly to the little girl.

Scarlett stopped crying and thought for a second.

"Pro-mise?" She hiccuped.

John looked down into her sorrow-filled eyes. In that moment, everything was confirmed. He would rather be removed from the brotherhood and disowned by the X-men than to ever see this little cry over him again.

"I promise." Before he even finished his sentence, Scarlett had wrapped her arms around his neck.

John was taken back for a second, but as if natural instinct, his arms wrapped around the child. He dared to glance up at Rogue when he did so and her reaction was unexpected.

She looked like she was about to burst out in tears.

He slowly removed one arm from around Scarlett and extended it out to Rogue, offering to let her join. Her eyes grew wide at the offer at first, but after a few seconds of debating, she accepted. Wrapping one arm around Scarlett and the other around John's back. John gingerly put his arm around Rogue, pulling her close into the group.

Rogue hadn't felt this complete since before John had left. Now her whole family was sitting here, holding each other close. The way it was supposed to be.

"Can you read the kitten book?" Scarlett pulled back from the group first, causing everyone to separate.

"I thought you didn't want it to be read to you?" John teased, noticing Rogue wiping her eyes roughly.

"I do!" Scarlett reached to the foot of the bed to retrieve the book.

"Rogue, are you okay?" He asked, his whole body waiting on her answer.

"I'm fine. Its just...complicated." She tried to fake a laugh.

John didn't buy it but wasn't going to push the issue. He'd already done a more than excellent job complicating things are they were.

The trio sat on the bed and read the book of an unlikely friendship between a dinosaur and a kitten. At the end, John stood to leave.

"Don't go Fire-Man!" Scarlett pouted.

"I have too."

"Honey, Fire-Man has to work."

"No! Stay with me!" Scarlett demanded, tears reforming.

"Don't start this Scarlett." Rogue warned. "He stayed and read your book with you."

Rogue waved her hand for John to start backing away which he did.

"But I don't want him to go."

"You'll see me when you wake-up, okay?" John was almost to the door. Seeing the tears welling back up and her reaching for him was almost killing him.

"Promise?" She asked when he reached the doorway.

"Promise." He echoed her.

"I love you Fire-Man, good night!"

Rogue's eyes looked alarmed at this and she almost turned to see John's answer.

"You too. Night." John exited the door, his heart in complete shambles.

_**BOOM! Hope you enjoyed. As usual, sorry it took so long. I actually just wrote most of it today. I just didn't want to give you all a pointless chapter so I hope you enjoyed! Finale is coming up soon! **_

_** THANK YOU FOR READING!**_

_**RAWR**_


	14. Just Go For It

_Just do it. Just make the call. There is no way on earth that he could even remotely consider finishing out the mission. Stop being a wuss. If he doesn't answer, just leave a voicemail saying you can't do it._

Time was ticking ever closer to the rendezvous time and John still hadn't been able to reach Magneto. He literally had less than ten minutes before he was supposed to be back in Scarlett's room, ready and waiting to be picked up.

A sudden buzz from his phone almost startled him right off the bed.

"Hello?" He answered it quickly.

"Ready?" Magneto's voice was cool on the other end.

"About that, I just don't-"

"No need to finish." John could see Magneto lifting his hand to stop his explaining. "I expected this, that's why we had a back-up plan."

"What?" John's eyebrows squeezed together.

* * *

"Just do it. Just walk in and do it." Rogue was chanting to herself as she walked down the hall, towards John's office.

She was going to do it. Seeing how those two interacted tonight, she couldn't keep it from him anymore.

She caught a last breath and brought her fist up to knock on the office door.  
No answer.

She knocked again, but still no answer.

"John?" She twisted the knob, but stopped before entering.

She'd been in this situation before. The knot in her stomach twisted as tight as it could possibly have. The palms of her hands were sweating. One last breath. This was her moment.

"ROGUE!" A sudden voice tore her hand from the door as it had burned her.

"Bobby!" She squeaked. "I wasn't-I mean I thought-"

Rogue could see the flash of anger in Bobby's eyes, but he was apparently discarding it for now. A loud whirring sound, like a helicoptor would make was suddenly in the air.

"What is that?" Rogue inquired, looking out the windown next to the office door.

"Thats what I'm trying to tell you, I overheard John talking on the phone." Bobby was speaking fast and Rogue wasn't sure she was hearing him correctly. "He is planning on taking-Scarlett."

At the last word, Rogue's pupils engulfed her eyes. Her throat tightened in fear.

"GO!" Bobby ordered breathlessly.

Rogue didn't need urging, she had already started running the hall. At each staircase and corner turned, the horrible feeling inside her grew. John wasn't back for her, wasn't back to be back-he was back to exact revenge he felt he needed to on her and this was it. He was taking the only joy she had found.

Several students were in the halls, alarmed at the sound of the whirring helicoptor blades being so near. Rogue rushed by them all and barreled through the door to Scarlett's room.

She was hit by a heavy wind gust that through her hair around and made her fall back upon first entering. Then she looked over at the bed, empty. But standing next to it was John. In his hooded burnt red jacket and an old pair of jeans. Scarlett was wrapped up in a blanket in his arms. Her arms wrapped around his neck. There was a slightly paniced look in her eyes, but she trusted John. She wouldnt argue with him.

An evil smile took over John's face as he looked at Rogue.

"John don't!" a rope ladder suddenly dropped from the source of the wind and noise outside the window.

He stepped into the window and put one hand on a ladder rung.

"John please! You can't take her! She's our daughter! Please!" There was no look of alarm on John's face. No trace of anything really.

"Guess, she really is a part of the brotherhood family then." With a smirk John placed a foot on a lower rung.

"No, John! PLEASE!" Rogue crossed the room, attempting to grab a rung of the ladder as it lifted the two away, but she just missed by inches.

By now, Logan had entered the room and was having to hold Rogue back from climbing out the window to make a for sure failed attempt at grasping the drifting ladder.

"Our baby! He took our baby!" Rogue wailed.

A new vrooming noise came into the night air, Bobby's streetbike that he had inherited from Scott was streaking down the driveway of the school.

Rogue relaxed a bit in Logan's grasp, maybe Bobby wasn't so bad. If he was willing to go out in the middle of the night and save her daughter. Maybe she was just expecting him to be bad and so thats how she saw it.

* * *

The brisk night air, stung like needles against his bare face. He knew that he was breaking every speeding law that was enforced, but he didn't care. He didn't spare time to grab a helment or a jacket. So his T-shirt was beating him wildly in the furry of the wind. But he had to follow that helicoptor. After the horrible heartbroken look on Rogue's face...he had no choice. That little girl had to come home. Even if she wasn't his, she was Rogue's and that was reason enough. And right now alone with just a black road around him to hear his thoughts, he could admit, he loved that little girl too. Even if he didn't have a right or if he should hate her. The way she smiled and bounced around. The warmth he felt from her. He had to foce himself to try not to become attatched to her, but it was impossible. She had such a strong will and hardheadedness he'd only seen in himself. It was wrong to think it, but he couldn't help but feel like she was his. Like she was made for the sole purpose of giving him an unyeilding source of love. A home that he had never known before expect for with one person, even if that person had been utterly destroyed by him. That little girl was put on this planet so he could meet her and-love her. So, even if it cost him everything, he had to get his Little Abomination back.

* * *

_I. AM. So. Very. Sorry for taking so long! My life turned into nothing but college classes and work. So I know this isn't much, but I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for staying with me for so long! You're SO AWESOME!_

_RAWR_


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